Tulips
Tulips: quintessentially Dutch, you might say! But in fact, the tulip is originally Iranian, Afghan and Kazakh. Nomads brought the colourful flowers to Turkey, where powerful sultans began wearing a tulip on their turban. This is how the flower got its name: ‘Tulipan’ literally means turban. In the sixteenth century, giving someone a tulip meant giving wealth. At that time, the flower was immensely popular and a speculative trade in tulip bulbs emerged. For the price of a single tulip bulb, you could buy an entire canal house in Amsterdam. Nowadays, a lovely bunch costs only a few euros, and fortunately the flower is now accessible to everyone.
Tulips combine beautifully in a bouquet; pair them with, for example, carnations or ranunculus for a cheerful celebration. Or buy a single tulip and place it in a special tulip vase then they truly come into their own and happily spring in every direction! The growers of this product are: Van der Gulik, Borst Bloemenbollen and Fa. P. Spruit & Zn. Tip from grower Menno of Borst Bloembollen: ‘Choose a clean vase that is tall enough: tulips continue to grow a few more centimetres.’
Tulip care
How do you care for a tulip? To keep your tulips looking beautiful for longer, it’s important to give them the right care. This already starts when you buy your bunch of tulips. Preferably buy them while they are still in bud so you can enjoy this true spring flower for longer. In short, the care tips are:
- Cut the stems straight
- Remove excess foliage so that no leaves stand in the water.
- Place your bunch of tulips in a clean vase with enough cold water (max. 5–10 cm) at room temperature.
- Add some flower food to your vase.
- Do not place tulips in a draught, above a heater, in full sun, or near fruit.
- Clean the vase regularly and change the water every few days.
Tulip care tips
Cutting a tulip
Should you cut a tulip stem at an angle or straight? Unlike many other flowers, it’s recommended to cut the tulip stem straight, because they continue to grow in the vase. When you cut a tulip at an angle, it absorbs more water than when cut straight, which means they grow less slowly and are less likely to droop quickly.
Should I remove the leaves from my tulips?
We recommend removing excess leaves from the stem so that no leaves are submerged. Leaves can contaminate the water more quickly, which in turn affects the lifespan of your tulip.
Watering tulips
How much water do tulips need? It’s recommended to fill the vase with 5–10 cm of cold water. Especially at the beginning, when you’ve just cut a tulip, they absorb a lot of water so make sure the stems are always submerged. Keep an eye on the water level and change the water every few days.
Flower food for your bunch of tulips
What should you add to the water for your tulip bouquet? Before placing the tulips in the vase, mix the water with some flower food or a drop of bleach to kill bacteria and extend the life of your bouquet.
What is the best place for my vase of tulips?
How do I keep my tulips looking good? To keep your tulips in good condition, the right placement is important. So do not place them in a draught, above a heater, or in full sun. A little daylight makes your tulip bouquet happy, but putting them away in a dark spot in your home is not recommended.
In addition, it’s also not recommended to place your vase of tulips near fruit. Fruit releases ethylene, a substance that causes them to “ripen” faster, meaning you’ll enjoy them for less time.
Which vase is best for tulips?
A clean vase with a narrow opening and a wide base is suitable for your bunch of tulips. This helps prevent them from spreading too far apart and also provides enough support. After all, tulips continue to grow in length in the vase.
Tip from grower Van der Gulik: “Avoid overcrowded vases too, because the flowers need room to breathe.”
Are tulips toxic?
Are tulips toxic for my pets? Yes, a tulip is toxic to your pet. We therefore recommend not placing your vase where your pet can reach it.
Tulips toxic to cats
If your cat comes into contact with a tulip, it can cause skin irritation. And your cat may vomit, drool, or develop diarrhoea if it sinks its teeth into a tulip.
Tulips toxic to dogs
Tulips are also toxic to dogs. The symptoms are the same as in cats. When a dog comes into contact with a tulip, it can cause skin irritation. And your dog may vomit, drool, or develop diarrhoea if it sinks its teeth into a tulip.
Visible characteristics of the tulip
Is your vase of tulips not doing as well as you expected? Unfortunately, that can happen! Below we’ve listed the most common visible characteristics for you:
Why do tulips droop?
If your tulips are drooping, this can have various causes. It may be that the stems are not taking up enough (or any) water, or that your flowers are in an environment that is too warm.
Another reason may be that they have become too heavy because they have grown too large. In that case, it helps to shorten them.
Vase life of tulips
How long do tulips last in a vase? When cared for properly, they can easily last a week in the vase. There are tulip varieties that even last 2 weeks or longer.
