Tulipa 'Cape Town' (1)

RHS Plant Profile
tulip 'Cape Town'

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tulip 'Cape Town' John Amand
tulip 'Cape Town' John Amand
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A distinctive tulip 40-45cm tall, bright yellow with bright red edges to the outer tepals, which are slightly notched at the apex

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, 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 Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–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)
H6

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
Accepted
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

Single Early Group tulips grow up to 45cm tall, with cup-shaped flowers to 7cm across, often margined or flamed with a contrasting colour, and flower in early and mid spring

How to Grow

Cultivation

Plant 10 to 15cm deep in fertile, well-drained soil with shelter from strong winds and protection from excessive wet. See tulip cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by lifting and separating offsets. See bulb propagation for further advice

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Garden edging

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 and bulb rot in poorly drained soil