Tulipa Catherina - Early simple Tulip

'Catherina' is a superb late single tulip variety. It bears a giant, cup-shaped, milky-white flower on top of a tall and sturdy stem, which opens in ivory white and becomes pure white when fully ripe. The base of the flower, a golden yellow, adds a touch of cheerfulness to this beautiful spring flower... that's precisely the great elegance of 'Catherina'. Refined, without being intimidating, pure without being monotonous. Wherever it is in the garden, it brightens and soothes the beds of more brightly coloured flowers. An excellent cut flower, it also performs very well in the garden, even in adverse weather conditions. 

The Tulip 'Catherina', sometimes spelled 'Catharina', is still not widely available in commerce. Of horticultural origin, it is currently classified in Division 5, whose main characteristic is late flowering. Among the tallest, it will reach 60cm (24in) in height when in bloom. Perched on sturdy stems well above the broadly lanceolate leaves, its large flowers stand out for their size and brilliance. Ivory white subtly streaked with green when they open, the petals become whiter as they mature, contrasting sharply with the base of the butter yellow to golden yellow cup. Flowering usually takes place in May-June, making it useful in the garden to transition between early and early summer blooms. 

The late single tulip 'Catherina' finds its place in large, well-drained beds, alongside plants with foliage (grasses, fennel, lady's mantle) and late tulips of all colours, pink ('Angelique'), black ('Queen of Night'), yellow, orange ('Sunrise'), red, variegated ('Carnival de Nice'), or mauve ('Shirley'), perennials like peonies or wallflowers with pastel tones. They also help to maximize the flowering time of the beds. They can be planted in borders, rockeries, flower beds, even in pots and containers, think of them for your balconies and terraces. Ideal for creating elegant bouquets, use very little water in their vase, just a bottom is enough. Furthermore, if your tulips open too quickly, you can add two to three ice cubes to the vase every day.