wild tulip
Tulipa sylvestris

Family: Liliaceae

What it is like

Tulipa sylvestris is a BULB growing to 0.3 m (1ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from April to May. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 0.3

Where it is found

Meadows, orchards and rocky places. Often found growing in chalk pits and low-lying waste ground.

Europe - Mediterranean. Naturalized in Britain.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating:

Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent

How it is grown

Easily grown in a well-drained soil. It can be naturalized in short grass. The plant is often found growing in chalk pits in the wild and so should do well on alkaline soils. The plant can increase quite rapidly by means of underground stolons and can be difficult to eradicate. Bulbs can be harvested after the plants have died down in July, stored in a cool dry place and then replanted in October. The flowers have a most pronounced perfume. This species is in cultivation in Britain under the name 'Tabriz'.

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: Lawn; Cultivated Beds;

Habit: Bulb

Hardiness: 4-8

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

The bulb and the flowers have been known to cause dermatitis in sensitive people, though up to 5 bulbs a day can be eaten without ill-effect.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

T. florentina.