Tulipa Chato - Double Late Tulip

Tulipa Chato is a double-flowering late tulip with bright pink petals arranged in an open cup shape resembling peonies, hence their often-used name of Peony-flowered Tulip. You can pair it with pink or purple tulips to create harmony. The enormous flowers stand atop 45 cm (18in) tall, sturdy stems, well above the broadly lanceolate leaves. The flowers are all different but share a vibrant pink colour reminiscent of strawberry sorbet. It blooms in April-May.

The Chato Late Double Tulip belongs to the Lily family. Of horticultural origin, it is currently classified in the group of "Late Doubles," whose main characteristics are their enormous peony-like flowers with numerous petals and their resistance to bad weather.

Tulips are unmatched for bringing spring colour to pots or sunny gardens. Don't forget to consider the height and flowering period when designing your flowerbeds, as these can vary significantly from one cultivar to another. It is a good idea to plant a few more bulbs for beautiful cut flowers that last a long time in a vase.

Tulip species are found in most of the Old World, from Western Europe to China and Japan, including Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, and Central Asia. Their distribution range also includes North Africa and the Indian subcontinent. The centre of diversity for the genus is in the Pamir and Hindu Kush mountains and the steppes of Kazakhstan.

There are various wild species, many of which are endangered. These include large tulips from cultivated fields, the most well-known being the Agen tulip (Tulipa agenensis), or small tulips found in wooded areas or among rocks in the mountains. In cultivation, they are called "botanical tulips," and one of the most common is the wild tulip (Tulipa sylvestris), which often used to grow sheltered by vines and whose subspecies australis is known as the southern tulip.