Clusius's Tulip Tulipa clusiana

Lady tulip is an early spring blooming perennial bulb. They have grayish-green foliage, and the tender stems have graceful vaselike white to cream blooms edged in dark pink or red. They typically bloom in March and measure 3/4 to 1 feet tall.  They perform best in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-7 with moist winters and warm dry summers. They naturalize easily and with time produce larger colonies. They are members of the Liliaceae or lily family. 

The lady tulip is a native of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and the Western Himalayas.

The genus name, Tulipa, is Latin, but it is derived from the Turkish word tulbend which means "turban." The species name, clusiana, is in honor of a Flemish physician and botanist, Carolus Clusius. 

The lady tulip prefers full sun and fertile, well-drained soils of chalk, loam, and sand. They grow best in alkaline or neutral soils in a sheltered location. The bulbs should be planted 6 to 8 inches deep in mid-fall to late fall. It is recommended to space the bulbs 4 to 5 inches apart. They perform well in rock gardens and containers. During the summer, the spent foliage should be removed. They may be propagated by seeds, naturalization, or division. If propagated by seeds, it may take 4 to 7 years to produce flowers.

Each bulb produces 2 to 5 linear leaves, up to 6 inches in height, and will sometimes have wavy edges. The flowers measure 4 inches across. Initially, the flower is bowl-shaped and becomes more star-shaped. They have tepals with pointed tips. The interior of the flower is white or cream with a purple blotch at the base and purple stamens. The exterior of the bloom is white or cream, and the outer tepals are edged in dark pink to red. The blossoms will close at night or on dark cloudy days. On bright sunny days, they open and are star-shaped.

The lady tulip or one of its cultivars would make a beautiful addition to a home garden or urban/courtyard garden to signal the approach of spring. Consider using them in a flower bed or border, patio planting in containers, rock gardens, and cottage gardens. Mass plantings are truly vibrant and eye-catching. Beware that squirrels, deer, mice, and voles like them too!

Seasons of Interest:

Bloom: Spring    Foliage: Spring

Quick ID Hints:

• perennial bulb with a clumping habit and tender stems
• 2 to 5 narrow, linear, smooth, grayish-green leaves up to 6-10 inches long
• bowl-shaped flowers are about 4 inches wide of white or cream with deep pink or red-edged outer tepals
• interior of the flower is solid white with a small purple blotch at the base and purple stamens
• in sunlight the flowers open to form a star shape
• the flowers close at night or on dark cloudy days

Pests, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The lady tulip has no serious insect or disease issues. Aphids, slugs, and snails may be seen. Gray squirrels, mice, voles, and deer are attracted and may eat the bulbs or plants. Diseases such as tulip fire, tulip gray bulb rot, and viruses can occur. Blue mold may develop on stored bulbs. In poorly drained soils, root or bulb rot may also occur.

The bulbs should not be ingested. When handling the bulbs, it is best to wear gloves and use other protective equipment to prevent skin allergies.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.