Tulipa humilis 'Norah'

The Botanical Tulip 'Norah' is a variety of very small size, offering an early and vibrant flowering, which seems to be pressed to the ground. Each short stem unfolds very early in spring several globular flowers that bloom into star-shaped bright purple, contrasting with a violet or midnight blue throat depending on the observer. They emit a particular fragrance. The leaves, linear and shiny green, sometimes appear after flowering. Originating from Turkey and Iran, it is a very resistant plant, adapted to poor soils and arid conditions, which naturalizes easily in the garden. 

Tulipa humilis 'Norah' belongs to the Liliaceae family. It is an ancient selection derived from the Tulipa humilis whose origins are lost between the Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and as far as northern Russia. Tulipa humilis has an extremely variable appearance depending on its origin. The 'Norah' selection bears, at the end of a short flower stalk, not exceeding 10cm (4in), up to 3 globular flowers with 3 pointed sepals identical to the 3 petals, which are therefore called tepals. The corolla opens widely in the sun, forming a star shape, exhaling a subtle, somewhat indefinable fragrance, sweet and peppery at the same time. The bulbs are small, measuring 3 to 4cm (1 to 2in) in diameter. This plant has dark bluish green leaves, relatively narrow, sometimes almost curled, measuring 10 to 15cm (4 to 6in) long.

The Tulipa humilis 'Norah' is certainly a little gem, but also a reliable and faithful plant, which will naturally find its place in rockeries, along pathways, or on a slightly wild slope, even if it is rather dry in summer. Far from the large calyxes of its Dutch relatives, its low-lying stars animate flower beds, early in spring, along with crocuses with which they are sometimes confused. It adapts well to pot or container cultivation, allowing you to enjoy its radiant flowering up close.  

Botanical tulips and very similar tulips like this selection do not degenerate over time, they naturalize and can remain in place for many years without special maintenance in borders and rockeries. To create colourful scenes, they can be associated with various small bulbous plants: Ipheion uniflorum, Anemone blanda, Cyclamen coum, Erythronium 'Pagoda', Leucojum vernum…