Tulipa 'Apricot Emperor' (13)

RHS Plant Profile
tulip 'Apricot Emperor'
Bulbs

A perennial bulb, to around 40cm high in flower, with broadly lance-shaped, grey-green leaves. Flowers are large and cup-shaped, with apricot yellow petals brushed with soft red at the edges

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0-0.1 metre

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
0-0.1 metre
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H6

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Liliaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright
Potentially harmful
Harmful if eaten, and may cause an allergic skin reaction. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus
Tulipa are bulbous perennials with characteristic flowers, in a wide range of colours, in spring
Name Status
Unresolved
Horticultural Group
Fosteriana Group tulips have leaves often marked with purple, and flower in spring with bowl-shaped flowers to 12cm across which may be white, yellow or in shades of red, with a contrasting colour at the base of each tepal

How to Grow

Cultivation

Plant bulbs in late autumn, at a depth of 10-15cm (4-6in) in fertile, well-drained soil. Choose a sunny position, with protection from strong winds and excess winter wet. Lift bulbs annually, once the leaves have died down, and ripen in a cool greenhouse, keeping dry over the summer. See tulip cultivation for more details

Propagation

Propagate by division, separating offsets in summer when bulbs are lifted. Replant the largest bulbs in autumn, and grow on smaller ones in a nursery bed for a year. See bulb propagation for more details

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs
  • Wall side borders

Pruning

deadhead after flowering and remove fallen petals

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, slugs and stem and bulb eelworms

Diseases

May be susceptible to Tulip fire and tulip viruses, and to bulb rot in poorly drained soils