The two main groups of tulips are early and the May or main-season kinds. The early group contains the species or botanical kinds, any of which are small in size and come into bloom soon after the snow leaves.
Some interesting examples are:
- T. eichleri
- T. turkestanica
- T. acuminata
They are good in rock gardens and other places where you see them closely.
Also in this early section are the newsmaking hybrids of:
- Greigii (like flame-red ‘Margaret Herbst’ or ‘Red Riding Hood)
- Fosteriana (like ‘Red Emperor’)
- Kaufmanniana (like the yellow ‘Berlioz’ or gold and red ‘Stresa’)
The early singles are also in the early group, like orange `De Wet’ and scarlet ‘Keiserskroon.’ All of these are slower growing than later varieties, and almost universally, they are fine for forcing in pots.
The same can be said of the early doubles, such as ‘Peach Blossom’ (rose-pink) and ‘All Gold.’
Darwin Tulips
Of the May tulips, Darwins, breeders, and cottages are the three big kinds. Darwins are the earliest blooming of these, and Darwin hybrids are even earlier. They have pure, clean colors and stately, long stems.
Flower forms range from oblong with rounded bases to almost square. Breeders are next to bloom, mostly with sunset colors, copper or bronze tints, iridescence, or rich deep shadings. They have stiff upright stems and grow vigorously.
Cottage Tulips
Cottage tulips vary in size, color, shape, and habit. There seems little reason to put them in one group except that they do not fit in the others. You’ll find many unusual and good kinds among them.
Parrot Tulips
Parrot tulips are a special group you’ll prize for arrangements because of their fantastic ruffled and fringed petals. They look well in the garden, too but don’t use them either where you want strict formality or in a woodland setting.
Lily Flowered Kinds
Another variation, lily-flowered kinds, are more graceful than the classic shapes. They have pointed petals that turn back a bit and are pretty in arrangement.
Still, another variation of the recent introduction, the fringed or “orchid” tulips, wear a fine lacing on petal edges and are genuinely beautiful, not bizarre.
Branch-Flowering Tulips
Branch-flowering tulips are pleasingly different, producing from three to six blooms on one main stein. ‘Mons. S. Mottet’ (creamy white and rose) is a good variety.
For exceptional size and color early in the season, try any of the new Darwin hybrids, like `Gudoshnik, ‘Red Matador,’ and Holland’s Glory.’
Rembrandt Tulips
The broken or so-called Rembrandt tulips are of historical and artistic interest. These are of the Darwin, breeder, cottage type, but petals are “broken” with streaks or feathering of vividly contrasting colors.
These flowers, which resulted from a virus disease affecting the bulb, were the center of the Holland “tulipomania” in the 1500s.
They are interesting and pretty but plant them apart from your other tulips and lilies because of the disease.
Good Tulip Varieties
(Most of these were tested last spring at Flower and Garden Demonstrations and found to be worthwhile. Those mentioned above are not repeated.)
Darwins
- Clara Butt (pink) 25″
- Glacier (white) 26″
- Niphetos (lemon yellow) 29″
- Red Pitt (scarlet) 28″
- Scotch Lassie (lilac) 25″
Breeder
- Dillenberg (salmon to rose) 26″
Cottage
- G. W. Leak (geranium) 28″
- Henry Ford (white-pink-red) 20″
- Prin. Margaret Rose (yellow-red) 23″
- Rosy Wings (salmon-pink) 24″
Lily Flowering
- Red Shine (deep red) 24″
- White Triumphator (white) 30″
Parrot
- Blue Parrot (heliotrope) 24″
- Orange Favorite (orange) 22″
Late Double
- Uncle Tom (maroon) 18″
Greigii Hybrid
- Oriental Splendor (yellow-red) 22″
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