Tulipa sprengeri - Botanical Tulip

The botanical Tulipa sprengeri is a species rarely offered in commerce. Very late, it is always the last to flower in May-June. It is sought after for its flowers with slightly incurved petals, reddish-orange on the inside and pale orange on the outside. This botanical tulip was observed in the wild in Turkey. It adapts to all types of soils, particularly slightly moist soils. The sprengeri species propagates by sowing and naturalizes easily. Botanical tulips can remain in the ground and flower for many years.

Tulips are bulbous plants that has become essential in the garden, easy to cultivate and adapting to all climates in the UK. It belongs to the Liliaceae family. There are about a hundred species and several thousand cultivars of tulips, allowing for a great diversity of shapes and colors. The flowers, appearing between March and May depending on the varieties, open during the day and close in the evening. The leaves are lanceolate, generally medium green, sometimes variegated. Among the many species, botanical tulips (like the sprengeri species) are generally distinguished from domestic tulips (or garden tulips), the latter being derived from Tulipa gesneriana.

Botanical tulips include wild tulips (except for domestic tulips that may have reverted to the wild) and the hybridizations that have resulted from them. They are species of small size, capable of remaining in the ground for several years and naturalizing easily. They adapt to all environments, including poor soils and rockeries.

In the garden, tulips will be perfect for brightening up a bed, associated with crocuses, hyacinths, narcissus, pansies, Muscari... They can also be planted in the middle of a short grass meadow, creating a beautiful colour effect in spring. Botanical tulips, due to their small size, are also suitable for planting in pots or containers.