Tulipa edulis

Family: Liliaceae

What it is like

Tulipa edulis is a BULB growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from March to April, and the seeds ripen from May to June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 0.2

Where it is found

Moist places in meadows in lowlands, near rivers and on wooded hillsides. Grassy slopes and hillsides from near sea level to 1700 metres in China.

E. Asia - E. China, S. Japan, Korea, Manchuria.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Bulb - cooked. A source of starch. The bulb can be up to 4cm in diameter. Leaves - cooked. Unless you have more plants than you need this practise is not recommended since it will greatly weaken the plant.

Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The inner portion of the bulb is antidote, antipyretic, depurative, expectorant, febrifuge and laxative. It is used, mainly as a poultice, in the treatment of ulcers and abscesses. The plant has been used in the treatment of cancer. The leaves are applied externally to abscesses, buboes and breast diseases. The flowers are used in the treatment of dysuria.

Antidote: Counters poisoning.

Antipyretic: Treats fevers. See Febrifuge.

Cancer: Used in the treatment of cancer.

Depurative: Eliminates toxins and purifies the system, especially the blood.

Expectorant: Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.

Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.

Laxative: Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.

Other

Rating:

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

Easily grown in a well-drained soil in a sunny position. This species is not fully hardy in Britain, the plants come into growth in the winter and need protection from severe weather and so are best grown in a bulb frame. Plants are dormant in summer but do not require protection from rain. Bulbs can be harvested in June after they have died down and then stored in a cool dry place, being planted out again in October.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown in a shady part of the cold frame as soon as it is ripe in early summer, or in the early autumn. A spring sowing of stored seed in the greenhouse also succeeds. Sow the seed thinly so that the seedlings can be grown on without disturbance for their first growing season - apply liquid feeds to the pot if necessary. Divide the bulbs once the plants have become dormant, putting 3 - 4 bulbs in each pot. Grow the on in the greenhouse for at least the next year, planting them out when dormant. Division of offsets in July. Larger bulbs can be planted out straight into their permanent positions, or can be stored in a cool place and then be planted out in late autumn. It is best to pot up smaller bulbs and grow them on in a cold frame for a year before planting them out when they are dormant in late summer to the middle of autumn.

Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds; East Wall. By. South Wall. By.

Habit: Bulb

Hardiness: 6-9

Growth: Slow

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Although no records of toxicity have been seen for this species, the bulbs and the flowers of at least one member of this genus have been known to cause dermatitis in sensitive people, though up to 5 bulbs a day of that species can be eaten without ill-effect.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

T. graminifolia. Amana edulis. A. graminifolia. Orithyia edulis.