Tulipa Affaire

Triumph tulip 'Affaire' is original and vibrant. Its flared corolla has ivory to white petals with a wide, irregular, red-violet band along the edge. It blooms in the middle of the tulip season, from early to mid-spring, depending on the climate. Perfect for dazzling bouquets or borders.

The 'Affaire' Tulip belongs to the Liliaceae family. Originally horticultural, it is currently classified in the 'Triumph' group, whose main characteristic is narrow cup-shaped flowers. It belongs to the new line of 'Victoire' hybrids, resulting from the cross-breeding between early single varieties and Darwin Tulips. The result is an exceptional combination of health,  vigour, and early flowering. Affaire is of medium size and has a novel, angular shape to its flowers. It reaches a height of 45 cm (18in) when in flower. The elegant flowers are perched on sturdy stems, well above the broadly lanceolate leaves. They have an ivory-white background, are quite square with a narrow cup shape and have six "petals" (more precisely tepals) with red-violet margined edges. The flowering takes place in March-April, at the beginning of the tulip season. 

Plant the bulbs in autumn, from September to December, at a depth of 15 cm (6in), 10 cm (4in) apart in ordinary, slightly acidic, neutral, or slightly alkaline, loose, well-worked, and well-draining soil. Never add manure or poorly decomposed compost to the planting soil, as this could cause the bulbs to rot. The 'Affaire' tulip will grow well in moist to dry soil, in a sunny or semi-shady location. Once flowering is over, it is best to remove the seed heads to avoid exhausting the plant.

Triumph tulips are famous for their rich colours and solid and resistant flowers, suitable for flowerbeds and bouquets. They are unequalled for bringing the colours of spring to pots or sunny gardens. Don't forget to consider the height and flowering period when designing your flowerbeds, as these parameters vary significantly from one cultivar to another. It is a good idea to plant a few more bulbs for beautiful long-lasting cut flowers.

About botanical species: Tulip species are found in most parts of the Old World, from Western Europe to China and Japan, through 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 located in the Pamir and Hindu Kush mountains and the steppes of Kazakhstan.

There are various wild species, many of which are endangered. They are either 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 mountains. In cultivation, these are called "botanical tulips," and one of the most common is the wild tulip (Tulipa sylvestris), which often used to grow in vineyards and whose subspecies australis is known as the southern tulip.