6 tulips with purple, mauve, or crimson flowers

The Dentate Tulip ‘Cummins’

Next to the classic forms, this Fringed Tulip ‘Cummins’ stands out as an original! It is characterised by its highly fringed petals. Without a doubt, it is the most beautiful of the genus. On a sturdy, robust stem, it displays in May, at a height of 40-45 cm, its lovely single flowers with satin petals in a dark lilac to violet colour. They are edged with white lace, reminiscent of frost, which gives them a beautiful contrasting harmony. They are elegantly shaped and open in shallow cups, resembling lily-flowered tulips. It can be accompanied by other fringed tulips in white or pink shades like “Daytona“, another late tulip, or paired with the lovely corollas of ‘Queensland’ in flower beds and cut flower arrangements.

Tulip ‘Cummins’

Double Tulip 'Double Price'

On could believe it has stepped straight out of a Dutch still life! The Double Tulip ‘Double Price’ is a recent variety that is simply spectacular when it generously blooms its large double flowers from April, right in the heart of tulip season. Very full, it opens like a magnolia flower with a rounded shape, suspended on a very short stem of 35 cm. It captivates with its flowers featuring numerous petals of a colour palette blending shades of pink, lavender, and mauve, iridescent with silver. The exterior of the corolla is painted with green flames. It pairs well with other early double tulips in pink tones like ‘Foxtrot‘, or in purple tones like ‘Purple Tower’. Also consider flat-headed yarrow for a beautiful contrast in shape. You can also carpet its base with candytuft for a soft display.

Tulip ‘Double Price’

The Double Late Tulip ‘Black Hero’

Another double tulip, this time evoking the roundness of peony flowers. The Double Late Tulip ‘Black Hero’ blooms in April-May, almost at the end of the tulip season. It opens in an opulent cup shape, 10 cm wide, held atop tall stems reaching 50 cm. Its enormous flowers are composed of multiple petals with changing reflections in a unique colour, a deep violet almost black, shimmering in the sunlight. The reflections of its beautiful dark dress fluctuate depending on the light. It will bring unbridled whimsy in pots or borders, alongside other late double tulips like ‘Ice Cream’, white Bleeding Hearts, earlier double white tulips like ‘Cardinal Mindszenty’ or ‘White Liberstar’, and why not an Itoh Peony ‘Scarlet Heaven’ in a scarlet red to create contrasts.

Tulips ‘Black Hero’

The Parrot Tulip 'James Last'

An iconic tulip from the 1970s with a charmingly outdated appeal that never fails to impress today! The result of mutations, this tulip named after a German musician blooms late in May. It is characterised by enormous flowers measuring 12 cm in width. Both baroque and refined, the Parrot Tulip ‘James Last’ opens into a well-shaped corolla made up of waxy, twisted, swollen, fringed, and incomplete petals. Its satin dress is crafted from taffeta in changing shades of mauve, washed pink to lavender blue, adorned with pearl grey reflections, and tinged with salmon pink in the centre of the petals. Its short, sturdy stem, measuring 40 cm, provides good resistance to the elements and a lovely vase life. This tulip adds a vintage charm to any arrangement, whether in borders or in a vase. You can pair it with other candid blooms such as Forget-me-nots, cornflowers, and Dicentra spectabilis.

Tulip ‘James Last’

Tulip 'Purple Prince'

Here is a tulip that kicks off the tulip season by blooming early in March-April. It produces infinitely elegant flowers with a classic shape. The Tulip ‘Purple Prince’ is the parent of three renowned varieties: ‘Light Pink Prince’, ‘Pink Prince’, and ‘Salmon Prince’. Simple and beautifully curved, its flowers open in wide, cup-shaped blooms measuring 7 to 8 cm, perched on very sturdy stems 30-35 cm tall. It captivates with its beautifully rich colour. Its shiny petals display a mauve-purple hue on the outside and a darker violet on the inside of the corolla. Its violet shades pair well with the Tulip ‘Blue Diamond’, botanical tulips, and Cyclamen coum.

Tulips ‘Purple Prince’

The Single Late Tulip 'Bleu Aimable'

A remarkable cultivar for over 100 years! A beauty queen crowned in 1916, it delights us with its late flowering in May-June. This old variety opens into large, narrow cups measuring 7cm in diameter, perched on tall, sturdy stems of 60cm in height, which are very resistant to wind and rain. The Late Single Tulip ‘Bleu Aimable’ is among the tallest. It showcases a satin gown in a rare and complex colour for tulips, certainly combining the most beautiful shades of lavender and mauve. Each flower blooms in hues ranging from blue to lilac and lavender, evolving with the light, highlighted by ash-tinted reflections that give it an iridescent appearance. Delicate coloured stripes further enhance its charm. It will look stunning alongside other late-flowering pastel tulips, such as pink (“Angélique’) or white (‘Maureen’).

Tulips ‘Bleu Aimable’

For further reading

• Discover our entire range of tulips, as well as all our varieties with very double flowers.
• To learn more, browse our sheet on tulips: planting, growing, and maintaining.