Tulipa fosteriana Purissima Design

Tulip fosteriana 'Purissima Design' is a beautiful version of the famous T. 'Purissima'. With the same ornamental qualities and easy cultivation, it bears large cream-white flowers that become pure white, emerging from decorative foliage that is finely bordered in the same cream-white tone, sometimes tinged with yellow. The overall effect creates a superb pattern in beds and borders. Resistant, robust, and undemanding, it will faithfully return for many years without degenerating. It is also one of the earliest to flower. Like the classic 'Purissima', this scented tulip is wonderful in a vase.

Tulipa fosteriana is a very hardy botanical species originating from Turkestan. Tulips derived from T. fosteriana belong to division 13 and are reliable performers: they are among the first tulips to flower, sometimes as early as March 15th, and they naturalise easily, so there is no need to replace them regularly. This bulbous plant produces short, strong but flexible stems, 45cm (18in) tall when flowering. They bear a large cup-shaped corolla at their tips, which is 20cm (8in) wide when fully open. The flowers start off cream-white and quickly become a perfect white. The uniqueness of 'Purissima Design' lies in its wide green leaves regularly margined with cream. The foliage will dry up a few weeks after flowering and reappear the following spring.

Tulips from the Fosteriana Group work well in flower beds and borders. The taller varieties are ideal for bouquets. Their sparkling yet elegant colours pair well with blue hyacinths, grape hyacinths, forget-me-nots, and with other tulips. When designing your flower beds, you must consider the height and flowering period of the tulips, as these parameters can vary significantly from one cultivar to another. It is wise to plant extra bulbs for bouquets, as they make gorgeous cut flowers that last a long time in a vase.