Tulip season often kicks off as early as March, with wild tulips being the first to poke their heads out and soak up the light. Throughout the spring, we get to enjoy a rotating parade of different varieties, each bringing its own unique colors and shapes to the garden. As summer starts to peek around the corner, the tulip show usually begins to wind down. However, if you know which ones to pick, there are several varieties that don’t even hit their peak until May and can keep the party going well into June.
- Late-Blooming Tulip Varieties
If you plan ahead and plant your bulbs thoughtfully in the fall, you can enjoy a garden full of tulips for months on end. The secret is mixing and matching varieties with different bloom times. If you’re looking for those late-season stars, keep an eye out for these types:
- Viridiflora Tulips
- Parrot Tulips
- Peony-Flowered (Double Late) Tulips
- Lily-Flowered Tulips
Viridiflora Tulips
These beauties don’t usually show up until May. They’re famous for the unique green streaks on their petals—in fact, “Viridiflora” comes from the Latin words for green and flower. They aren’t solid green, but rather have these cool, flame-like green patterns on their cups.
- Artist: Blooms in mid-May with gorgeous salmon-pink, feathered petals.
- Esperanto: Features bright red blooms with bold green streaks starting in May.
- Spring Green: A classic May bloomer with ivory-white cups and a crisp green stripe.
- Groenland: A lovely heirloom variety; salmon-pink with a green center stripe, blooming from April into May.
- China Town: A stunning three-tone flower in May featuring soft pink, green, and white.
Parrot Tulips
These are the drama queens of the tulip world! They don’t bloom until May, showing off fringed, wavy, and “feathered” petals that look like tropical bird feathers. Some favorites include:
- Estella Rijnveld: A striking mix of ivory white marbled with raspberry red.
- Black Parrot: Deep, dark purple blooms with heavily fringed, ruffled edges.
- Orange Favorite: Bright orange fringed petals that come with an absolutely amazing fragrance.
- Blumex: Features deeply cut, jagged petals in a wild, extravagant mix of colors.
- Victoria’s Secret: Large, lushly fringed blooms in a rich royal purple.
Peony-Flowered Tulips
As you probably guessed from the name, these late-blooming double tulips look a whole lot like peonies. They are thick, lush, and full of petals. Look for these varieties:
- Black Hero: A stunning, double-petaled version of the famous “Queen of Night” in a deep maroon-black.
- La Belle Epoque: A total showstopper with a unique blend of apricot, dusty rose, and coffee-cream tones.
- Lilac Perfection: Massive blooms in various shades of soft violet and lavender.
- Blue Diamond: Deep, velvety violet-purple flowers that really stand out.
Lily-Flowered Tulips
These are some of the most elegant tulips you can grow. Reaching about 20 inches tall, they have slender stems and graceful, pointed petals that curve outward. Here are a few to try:
- Fly Away: A fiery mix of red and yellow.
- Flashback: Features bright, sunny yellow blooms.
- White Triumphator: Pure, clean white flowers that look incredibly sophisticated.
- Ballerina: Vibrant orange-red petals with a wonderful, sweet scent.
- Fire Wings: Bright yellow petals with intense red “flames” licking up the sides.
- Ballade: Beautiful magenta petals edged in crisp white.
