Tulipa viridiflora Purple Doll

Tulip viridiflora 'Purple Doll' is a beautiful variety with deep purple star-shaped flowers, streaked with dark green. It has a naturally compact habit, borne on short, sturdy stems that are resistant to bad weather. Its natural elegance, with its slender flowers and tapered petals, resembles that of lily-flowered tulips. Its late flowering in May is ideal for creating charming and natural combinations with biennials or annuals such as wallflowers, poppies, Mahon's juliennes, and forget-me-nots.

Tulip viridiflora 'Purple Doll' belongs to the Liliaceae family. Of horticultural origin, it is currently classified in Division 8, which is currently the least significant group, closely related to late single tulips. Their main characteristics are late season flowering, and striped or streaked green flowers. The 'Purple Doll' variety is the result of a cross between the pink variety 'Doll's Minuet'. 'Purple Doll' will reach a height of 35cm (14in) when in bloom. Perched on strong stems, well above the widely lanceolate leaves, the narrow cup-shaped flowers, 6cm (2in) wide, resemble those of lily-flowered tulips. Their six dark purple "petals" (more precisely tepals) are distinguished by the green flame that runs through them from bottom to top. Flowering takes place in May, at the end of the tulip season. Its flowers remain beautiful for a long time, at least three good weeks. It is an excellent cut flower.

Tulip viridiflora 'Purple Doll' can be paired with both biennials and perennials, or planted in small clusters in rockeries. You can plant it with pink daisies or pansies. It is a charming addition to your flower beds. Its dark hue makes harmonious combinations with tulips in lighter shades, such as 'Doll's Minuet', or white tulips such as 'Très Chic'. This maximises the flowering period in flower beds. It can be planted in borders, rockeries, pots, and containers. This tulip beautifies balconies and patios very well. It is ideal for creating sumptuous bouquets. Only use a little water in a vase. If your tulips open too quickly, you can add two to three ice cubes to the vase each day.

Tulip species are found throughout 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 adventive tulips from cultivated fields, the most well-known being the Agen tulip (Tulipa agenensis), as well as 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 (T. sylvestris), which used to often grow sheltered by vines and whose subspecies, australis, is known as the southern tulip.