Tulipa HotPants - Triumph Tulip

The Triumph Tulip 'HotPants', sometimes called 'Chameleon' Tulip, presents a truly original bicoloured flower, in an unprecedented and highly contrasting colour combination, which evolves over time. Its flower, in a classic cup shape, combines white and violet-purple on its petals, with this dark shade being distributed in wide stripes that splash and sprinkle over the course of the days. This tulip blooms equally well in light shade and in the sun, alongside the 'Colour Mystic' Tulip, another yellow and red 'Chameleon' variety, in the middle of the tulip season, in the heart of spring, depending on the climate.

The 'HotPants' Tulip belongs to the Liliaceae family. Of horticultural origin, it is currently classified in the 'Triumph' group, whose main characteristic is to present narrow cup-shaped flowers. Perched on thick and sturdy stems, 48 cm (19in) tall, well above the broadly lanceolate leaves, the elegant flowers, of medium size, white and violet, quite square but with a narrow cup shape, show six "petals" (more precisely tepals) with a flamed interior. The flowering takes place in May, in the heart of the tulip season.

With their wealth of colours, solid and resistant flowers, suitable for both flower beds and bouquets, Triumph tulips are already well-known. They are among the most planted varieties. Unmatched for bringing the colours of spring to pots or sunny gardens, don't forget to consider the height and flowering period when designing your flower beds, as these parameters vary significantly from one cultivar to another. It is wise to plant a few more bulbs for cutting, as they make beautiful cut flowers that last a long time in a vase.

About botanical species: tulip species can be found from Western Europe to China and Japan, passing through Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, and Central Asia. Their distribution area also includes North Africa and the Indian subcontinent. The centre of diversity of the genus is located in the Pamir and Hindu Kush mountains and the steppes of Kazakhstan.

In France, there are several wild species, often endangered. These are either large adventive tulips from cropping fields, such as the Tulip of Agen (Tulipa agenensis), or small tulips found in wooded areas or among rocks in the mountains. In cultivation, they are called "botanical tulips," and one of the most common is the wild tulip (Tulipa sylvestris), which used to often grow sheltered by vines and whose subspecies australis is known as the southern tulip.