Tulip flowers surpass violets in scenting the air with a pervasive yet subtle fragrance. It is possible by selection to enjoy a variety of scents from the beginning to the end of the tulip season. So do tulips have a scent?
The most pleasing tulip fragrance is that of freesias. In some tulips, this scent is blended with that of violet. Others emit the odors of herbs, spices, fresh seaweed, and mimosa.
Fifty years ago or more, the most fragrant tulip was a variety called YELLOW PRINCE. Then GAM PRINCE OF AUSTRIA, a lovely terra cotta, an acre that would scent an entire village in the bulb district.
In those days, my grandfather noticed a flower with bright yellow-orange on some of its petals in a block of PRINCE OF AUSTRIA tulips. The new tulip was named DE WET.
From Brick Red To Orange
Now this variety has not only changed from brick red to a lively orange but the factor for the freesia perfume has been strengthened. DE WET usually lasts three weeks in full bloom, and it is the best, most colorful, most highly perfumed, and longest-lasting of the scented tulips.
The same early group with the DE WET fragrance is BELLONA, brilliant yellow; PRINCE CARNIVAL, red on SCARLET ADMIRAL.
Among the taller tulips are the very fragrant parrot ORANGE FAVORITE and its straight-petaled parent, ORANGE KING, a cottage tulip. There are sweetly scented tulips among the Darwins, but there are several spicy scents in the group.
However, the breeder class has many freesia-scented varieties: tall tawny orange ALICE KEITH; the slightly smaller DOM PEDRO golden brown; LUCIFER (also called GORGEOUS), red-orange; PRINCE OF ORANGE, subdued terra cotta with brighter orange edging.
In the cottage class, the majestic yellow blooms of Alaska are delightfully fragrant.
44659 by Hendrick Langeler