Selecting Tulip Bulbs

Choosing tulip bulbs involves both practical and esthetic concerns. There are surely no ugly tulips! While there are many single colors, such as peach, harvest gold, purple, red, orange, yellow, white and even close to black, there are also many speckled and striped species available.

Parrot Tulips are lovely, with buds like a beak, which open quite like a Narcissus, and come in many bi-color varieties, such as apricot, black, white and blue.

The Saxtilis variety is pinkish-lavender with pastel saffron at the base, and Chrysanthas are striking in their star shape.

While most tulips are annuals which occasionally turn into perennials, the large, low-maintenance Greigii class is long-lasting, continually blooming for years at a time.

Of course not all tulips are big; Species Tulips – which are steadfast, cultivated wildflowers – in fact produce very tiny flowers. The Persian Pearl, with its’ golden base surrounded by magenta petals, is particularly gorgeous, and is one of the only tulips which may be left planted outside year round.

Fragrance is important too; you might choose Yokohama, Mr. Van der Hoef, Electra, Princess Irene or Couleur Cardinal for an especially sweet scent.

But whatever your choices, remember these tips:

1)     Choose healthy bulbs between 1 ½ -5 inches high.

2)     Small bulbs in the same batch are generally not healthy.

3)     Ensure there are no dark spots on the bulbs.

4)     Tulip bulbs should have many layers of brown, dry onion-like skin, and should never be soft, but firm to the touch like a perfect apple.

For more questions about selecting tulips, ask Canada Floral Delivery’s expert Heather de Kok.