Tulipa humilis (15) | low-growing tulip

Dorling Kindersley Ltd

Synonyms

Tulipa pulchella humilis

Bulbs

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A very variable species, a bulbous perennial up to 25cm high with two to five linear glaucous leaves, up to 15cm long, and star-shaped flowers, up to 7cm across, in early spring and mid-spring. The tepals may vary from very pale pink to very dark purplish-pink, and are often tinged grey-green outside, with yellow, olive-green, or blue-black basal marks, edged with yellow or white. The stamens have yellow or purple filaments and yellow, brown, purple or black anthers

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H5
Drought Resistance: Yes

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Liliaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Potentially harmful: Harmful if eatenskin allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Harmful if eatenskin allergen - for further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Tulipa are bulbous perennials with characteristic flowers, in a wide range of colours, in spring
Name Status: Correct
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea: Miscellaneous tulips include all species and hybrids not otherwise classified
Plant Range: E Turkey, N Iran, Caucasus

How to Grow

Cultivation

Plant 15-20cm deep from mid-autumn to late autumn in a rock garden or in containers, in fertile, preferably neutral or alkaline soil that is free-draining but also able to hold moisture when the bulbs are in full growth, in full sun and with shelter from strong winds; in summer, remove old yellow foliage, and keep soil dry; for more advice, see tulip cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed, sown in containers in a cold greenhouse or frame in autumn (it may take 4-7 years for flowers to be produced) or by division of offsets, re-planting the larger bulbs and growing on the smaller bulbs in a nursery bed, or by bulb propagation

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Rock garden
Gravel garden
Patio and container plants
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, aphids and stem and bulb eelworm; squirrels may eat the bulbs

Diseases

May be susceptible to tulip fire disease, tulip grey bulb rot, and virus diseases; bulbs in storage may be susceptible to blue mould