Tulipa clusiana Lady Jane

The Tulipa clusiana 'Lady Jane', directly derived from a botanical tulip, is an absolutely delightful selection. Its flower, when it appears, has a slender and tubular shape and a lovely bright pink and pale pink colours, with a touch of white. Perched on a tall and slender stem, it blooms in a star shape, revealing a beautiful surprise with its pure white interior and a small yellow centre that wonderfully reflects the light. It flowers in spring, a little earlier than other clusiana tulips, and shows excellent ability to multiply spontaneously. A wet spring and a dry summer are the keys to success for growing this light, sensual flower that has retained the charm of wild plants.

The Botanical Tulip clusiana 'Lady Jane' belongs to the lily family. The species Tulipa clusiana, also known as Lady Tulip, is native to southeastern Iran and the western Himalayas, and its base colour is white. It is one of the few species that naturalises and blooms in climates with mild winters, unaffected by frost. It has given rise to numerous cultivars, including 'Lady Jane', which is radiant and very feminine. This small tulip will not exceed 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12in) in height when in bloom. Its foliage is slightly grayish green, bluish, very narrow and linear. The flowers, larger than those of the species, appear in March-April, earlier or later depending on the climate. Tapered, somewhat resembling lily-flowered varieties, tinted with cherry pink and pale pink, they are infinitely elegant even when closed. They open widely in the sun, revealing the inside of a star that is predominantly white with a very pale pink, a yellow-centre and dark stamens. They close in the evening and when the sun hides.

Botanical tulips do not degenerate over time like large-flowered tulips. They naturalise and can remain in place for several years without any special maintenance and thrive in borders and rockeries, in well-drained, dry soil in summer. To create colorful scenes, they can be combined with various small bulb plants: Crocus, Allium moly, Ipheion uniflorum, Anemone blanda, small-flowered Narcissus, etc. These tulips are unmatched for bringing the colors of spring in pots or in sunny gardens.

There are various wild species in France, many of which are endangered. In cultivation, they are called botanical tulips, and one of the most common is the wild tulip (Tulipa sylvestris), which used to often grow sheltered by vines and whose subspecies australis is known as the southern tulip.