Tulipa greigii Calypso (2024)

FAQs

How tall do Calypso tulips get? ›

Growing only 12 inches tall (30 cm), this tulip naturalizes easily and will come back year after year to our delight! It creates dazzling harmonies with other early flowering bulbs.

Tulipa greigii, (Greig's tulip) is a species of tulip native to Central Asia and Iran.

The tulip is 15-20 inches tall with 2 or 3 leaves clustered at the base with are parallel veined. This plant has a bell shaped flower with 3 petals, 3 sepals and 6 free stamens (the male reproductive part of the plant).

Their flower buds are known for being perfectly symmetrical. They are the 11th wedding anniversary flower. Tulip petals are edible and can be used to replace onions in many recipes or even to make wine. At the peak of the tulip mania, the flowers were worth more than diamonds.

How long does it take for a tulip to grow from bulb? Generally tulips need 8 to 16 weeks of artificial winter. After bringing the plants into temperatures resembling spring, the tulip will sprout along with leaves quickly emerging. A flowering plant will then appear within 15 to 30 days.

Species tulips and Greigii types, along with waterlily tulips and Darwin hybrids, are all known to come back yearly when they are planted in a site that meets their needs.

And the rarest and most beautiful of the breeds were "Broken Tulips", where the petals displayed two different colors in starkly contrasting, flame-like patterns.

They can be grown in practically any colour, from snowy white to purples so dark they are almost black. The only colour tulips aren't available in is blue. Blue is one of the rarest colours in flowers, and despite breeders' best efforts, 'blue' tulips are usually more purple or lilac.

Pink tulips are known for meaning affection, caring, good wishes, and love. Although not as deep or passionate love as red tulips represent. Pink tulips are great to send to friends and family members to show them you care.

Basically, all parts of the tulip are poisonous, because the tulipalin (plant poison) is present in all parts of the plant. The tulip bulb is affected, as well as the stem, leaves and flower. We often hear of cases of poisoning where tulip bulbs have been mistaken for conventional edible onions.

Do tulips have fruit? ›

A: The fruit of a plant is where the seed is, and tulips do have seeds, they are small and often do not fully develop, because they put their energy into the bulb that grows underground. If you watch closely after the petals fall, you will see a small ½” swollen part to the top of the stem where the tulip flower was.

Tulips are actually a part of the lily family, which also includes onions, garlic, and asparagus. The petals are edible and have been used as an onion substitute and to make wine. Tulips were commonly used in food during the Dutch famine over the course of World War II.

Blue tulips do not exist, which made bulb growers creative. For centuries they tried to cultivate flowers that look almost blue. The result is, at best, a purple tulip. The best attempts are Negrita, Janis Joplin, Victoria's Secret and Blue Diamond.

Choosing for Longevity

In ideal conditions in Holland, many of these tulips thrive for 10 to 15 years. In the New York City area, you should plan for 4 to 7 years before planting some new bulbs.

Tulips are plants that bloom in early spring. The flowers are cup-shaped and very colorful. They are among the most popular garden flowers. There are about 4,000 varieties of tulip.

Darwin Hybrid Tulips

Among the tallest tulips at 18-24" tall, they have large flowers on sturdy stems that open to almost 6" across. Plant in beds with other bulbs or amongst perennials – they'll shine while your perennials get going, then the perennials will cover the bulbs.

Temperatures during certain times in a tulip's development will affect stem length. Tulip bulbs need a certain amount of time in cold temperatures in order to release certain growth hormones. (This happens naturally during the winter.) These hormones will cause the emerging flower stems to lengthen.

Darwin Hybrid tulips are the tallest tulips, they produce big, showy flowers of the classic tulip shape in a rainbow range of rich colours from white through yellow, orange, red and pink.