Tulipa fosteriana Juan

Tulipa fosteriana 'Juan' is a vibrant and lively ornamental variety, ideal for awakening flower beds and borders. Its large, flared cups are very bright orange adorned with wide golden yellow spots at the base and its beautiful dark foliage is strongly marbled with purple. Robust, weather-resistant, and undemanding, it will faithfully flower for several years in the garden from mid-March. It is also a superb cut flower.

Tulipa fosteriana is a hardy botanical species native to Turkestan. Tulips from T. fosteriana belong to division 13 and are reliable performers: they are among the first tulips to bloom, sometimes as early as March 15th, and they naturalise easily, so there is no need to replace them regularly. This bulbous plant produces short, sturdy but flexible stems, 35 to 40 cm (14 to 16in) tall when in bloom, bearing a large cup-shaped, vibrant orange corolla at their tip, 20 cm (8in) wide when fully open, which opens and flares in the sun to reveal a deep and wide golden yellow throat. Beneath this vibrant flowering, grows a wide, dark and rich foilage, strongly marbled with purple.

Fosteriana tulips are suitable for all uses, in flower beds, borders, and even as cut flowers for the taller varieties. Their sparkling yet elegant colours pair well with blue hyacinths, grape hyacinths, or other tulips. Don't forget to consider the height and flowering period when designing your flower beds, as these can vary significantly from one cultivar to another. It is a good idea to plant a few more bulbs for cutting, as they make beautiful cut flowers that last a long time in a vase.