Tulipa Claudia - Lily flowering Tulip

Tulipa 'Claudia' is an elegant and colourful lily-flowered tulip, with delicious shades of blackcurrant sorbet. Its magenta-violet flowers are widely edged in white, creating a stunning mass effect. For a late tulip, it perennialises quite well in the garden. It is an excellent cut flower, and also stands out in well-ordered borders. It is urgent to rediscover these beautiful lily-flowered tulips, which our grandmothers loved so much, but have unfortunately become rare in our gardens.

The 'Claudia' lily-flowered tulip belongs to the lily family. It is classified in division 6 of horticultural tulips, the main characteristics of this category are as follows: they bear single flowers and bloom in the second half of spring, the cups are narrow, the pointed petals are recurved at opening and open into a star to reveal a white interior tinged with rosy wine. During the day, these flowers become spider-like and widely open. They were created in the early 20th century. This variety will reach 45 to 50 cm (18 to 20in) in height when in bloom. Flowering takes place in late April or early May. The foliage is thinner than that of other tulips. Each solitary flower is supported by a stem that appears delicate but is resistant to bad weather.

The 'Claudia' lily-flowered tulip finds its place in large well-ordered borders. Since its flowering is late, it allows for maximum duration of flowering in the borders. Combine it with white, "black" or pink varieties, and/or with Corsican hellebores and euphorbias, and you will get surprising scenes. It can also be planted in borders, rockeries, flower beds, as well as in pots and containers. This tulip beautifully decorates balconies and terraces. It pairs perfectly with tall perennials, and is ideal for creating elegant bouquets. In a vase, use very little water, just an inch at the bottom is enough! Moreover, if your tulips open too quickly, you can add two to three ice cubes to the vase every day. Many varieties of lily-flowered tulips are grown for forcing and produce cut flowers for a large part of the year.