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Tulip Bulb Planting Guide
Gardeners have been smitten by the simple, elegant beauty of Tulips for hundreds of years, and with spectacular new varieties emerging all the time, there's no sign of them stopping! These brightly colored blooms illuminate in early spring and are perfect for both container and ground plantings. Not to mention, they add stunning sophistication and whimsy to cut arrangements. Read on for all of our tips and tricks on how to plant and care for Tulips.
Success Snapshot
PLANTING
DEPTH
Hybrids: 6-7" or 3x bulb height.
Species: 4-5".
WATER
QUANTITY
Moderate with growth
SUNLIGHT
QUANTITY
Full Sun
PLANTING
PROXIMITY
4-5" Apart
BLOOM
SEASON
Spring
HARDINESS
ZONES
Zones 3-8
Shop Related Products
Tulip - Prince Mix
$10.95
Contains: 30 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Pride of Europe
$4.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Maureen
$14.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Maureen'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Monte Prix
$12.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Parrot Lady
$4.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Parrot Lady'
Exposure: Full Sun
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Red Foxtrot
$2.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Muscari & Tulip - Baby Shower Blend
$24.95
Contains: 10 Tulip and 10 Grape Hyacinth bulbs
Botanical Name: Muscari and Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 4-8
Tulip - Brest (Fringed)
$4.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Brest'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Apricot Parrot
$4.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Apricot Parrot'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Allium & Tulip - Beauty & Sparkle Blend
$14.95
Contains: 1 pack of 3 Allium bulbs and 1 pack of 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Allium and Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun
Hardiness: Zones 4-8
Tulip - Wow
$4.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Daffodil & Tulip - Chocolate & Vanilla Blend
$29.95
Contains: 10 Tulip and 10 Daffodil bulbs
Botanical Name: Narcissus and Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 4-8
Tulip - Ice Cream
$4.95
Contains: 3 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Ice Cream'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Candy Prince
$4.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Candy Prince'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Cape Holland
$4.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Cape Holland'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Black Hero
$4.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Black Hero'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Super Parrot
$12.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Super Parrot'
Exposure: Full Sun
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Sylvestris
$7.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa sylvestris
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - White Foxtrot
$12.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Belicia
$4.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Belicia'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Mysterious Parrot
$4.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Mysterious Parrot'
Exposure: Full Sun
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Mount Tacoma
$4.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Mount Tacoma'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Atlantis
$4.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Atlantis'
Exposure: Full Sun
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Sunspot
$4.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Mountain Mist Mix
$14.95
Contains: 30 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - China Town Mix
$14.95
Contains: 30 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Purple Prince
$4.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Purple Prince'
Exposure: Full Sun
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Brazil
$12.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Negrita Parrot
$12.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Negrita Parrot'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Angelique
$12.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Angelique'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Shirley
$4.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Shirley'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Fringed Aussie Mix
$14.95
Contains: 30 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Double Negrita
$12.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Negrita Double'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Clusiana Lady Jane
$4.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa clusiana 'Lady Jane'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Dream Touch
$12.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Dream Touch'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Danceline
$4.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Danceline'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Clusiana Chrysantha
$2.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa clusiana 'Chrysantha'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - White Prince
$4.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'White Prince'
Exposure: Full Sun
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Foxtrot Collection
$29.95
Contains: 30 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Foxtrot
$4.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Foxtrot'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Black Parrot
$12.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Black Parrot'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Ruby Prince
$3.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Ruby Prince'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Strawberry Cream
$8.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Strawberry Cream'
Exposure: Full Sun
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Fantasy Parrot
$12.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Fantasy'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Sunset Mix
$19.95
Contains: 30 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Daffodil & Tulip - Spring Romance Blend
$29.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs and 10 daffodil bulbs
Botanical Name: Narcissus and Tulipa
Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 4-8
Tulip - Abba
$5.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Abba'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Sunny Prince
$10.95
Contains: 10 Tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'Sunny Prince'
Exposure: Full Sun
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - Batalinii Bright Gem
$2.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa batalinii 'Bright Gem', syn. linifolia 'Bright Gem'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Tulip - White Parrot
$8.95
Contains: 10 tulip bulbs
Botanical Name: Tulipa 'White Parrot'
Exposure: Full Sun; Bright Direct Indoors
Hardiness: Zones 3-8
Where to Plant Tulips
While Tulips are relatively easy to grow, plenty of sunlight and well-drained soil are what makes them happiest. If you notice puddles of water 5 to 6 hours after a hard rain, scout out another site or amend the soil with organic material to raise the level 2 to 3 inches. Tulips fancy a place with full or partial sun, but in zones 7 or 8 avoid planting them someplace where they might get excessive heat, such as against a south-facing wall or fence. Choose a spot that allows for bulbs to be planted 4 to 6 inches apart and offers shelter from the wind for taller varieties.
When to Plant Tulips
Plant your bulbs in the fall, 6 to 8 weeks before a hard frost is expected, to give them time to establish themselves. In colder climates it's best to plant in September or October, and in warmer regions bulbs can be planted in December or later. Foliage and flowers can be expected to appear in the spring.
How to Plant Tulips
- For outdoor landscape planting, find a spot where the soil drains well, and your Tulips will receive full sun to light shade. Dig holes and plant the bulbs 5" apart and 6" to 7" deep (4 to 5" deep for Species Tulips) at the base with the pointy end facing up.
- For container planting, start with good quality, well-drained soil, and plant your Tulips 4" apart and 6" to 7" deep (4 to 5" deep for Species Tulips) at the base with the pointy end facing up. Remember that shorter varieties usually perform better in all but the largest containers, and deeper planting depths are better in colder regions.
- Water thoroughly, soaking the soil to settle it around the bulbs without air pockets.
How to Grow Tulips
- Water as needed during active growth periods, supplying about 1" of moisture per week.
- Leave the foliage in place after blooming has finished for the season. The leaves will gather sunlight to create food through photosynthesis, strengthening the bulb for the future.
- Remove the dry foliage when the leaves turn yellow and die back around early summer to give your Tulips a clean slate before beginning the next growing cycle.
- Allow the soil to dry out when the leaves are absent and the bulbs are dormant.
Tulip Tips & Tricks
- Amend the soil with compost, ground bark, or composted manure to improve drainage and encourage a healthy start.
- Expect roots to form in the fall, with foliage and flowers emerging in the spring.
- Avoid letting the soil remain soggy, which can cause the bulbs to rot.
- Allow Tulip bulbs to enjoy several weeks of winter chill, but in areas that experience freezing temperatures, move container-planted bulbs into a sheltered spot like an unheated garage until green shoots begin to emerge.
- Snip a few of these vibrant flowers when in bloom for striking bouquets.