Tulipa viridiflora Golden Artist

Tulipa 'Golden Artist' is a unique and intensely coloured variety. Its twisted corolla is made of pointed and slightly twisted petals. They boast light yellow, soft orange, and amber highlights, with large green flames in the centre. Its variegated flowers last a long time in a vase and create a superb mass effect in the garden at the end of the tulip season. Its short and sturdy stem makes it suitable for borders and flower pots.

'Golden Artist' belongs to the Liliaceae family. Of horticultural origin, it is a sport of the famous 'Artist' variety. It is classified in Division 8, which is currently the least significant group, closely related to that of late single tulips. Their main characteristics are late flowering and striated or flamed green flowers. The 'Golden Artist' variety will reach a height of 40 to 45cm (16 to 18in) when in bloom. Its narrow cup-shaped flowers, 6cm (2in) wide, perch on sturdy stems, well above the widely lanceolate leaves. They resemble those of lily-flowered tulips. Their six "petals" (more precisely tepals) are more irregular and are randomly variegated with yellow, orange, salmon, and brown around a central green zone. Flowering takes place at the end of May or in June, at the end of the tulip season. Its flowers remain beautiful for at least three weeks. It is an excellent cut flower.

'Golden Artist' can be planted with both biennials and perennials, or planted in small groups in a rockery. You can plant it with pink daisies or pansies. It is a charming addition to your flower beds.

Tulip species are found throughout most of the Old World, from Western Europe to China and Japan, including Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, and Central Asia. Their distribution range also includes North Africa and the Indian subcontinent. The centre of diversity for the genus is in the Pamir and Hindu Kush mountains and the steppes of Kazakhstan.

There are various wild species, many of which are endangered. These include large adventive tulips from cultivated fields, the most well-known being the Agen tulip (Tulipa agenensis), as well as 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 (T. sylvestris), which used to often grow sheltered by vines and whose subspecies australis is known as the southern tulip.