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Flowers and gardens

The Botanical Tulip – La tulipe botannique

photo_79_botanic_tulipWhat, you may well ask, is a botanical tulip? A botanialc tulip is any species of tulip, whether wild or cultivated which is not from the Tulipa gesneriana species, that is, the domestic tulip. We planted a few tulipa tarda (or tulipa Dasystemon) bulbs in November and will definitely be planting more next year but maybe in a rock garden because they grow very close to the ground.
Connaissez-vous la tulipe botannique ? Une tulipe botanique est n’importe quelle espèce de tulipe, qu’il s’agisse de l’espèce type (sauvage) ou des cultivars (cultivés) qui en sont issus, pourvu qu’elle n’appartienne pas à l’espèce Tulipa gesneriana, la tulipe domestique. Nous en avons planté quelques tulipes botaniques dasystemon (ou tarda) en novembre et comptons bien en planter d’autres mais plutôt dans une rocaille car elles poussent très près du sol.

6 replies on “The Botanical Tulip – La tulipe botannique”

I’m not a big fan of the term ‘Botanical Tulips’, because it is rather nonsensical. It serves as a shorthand for cultivars of species other than the Garden Tulip T. gesneriana, because cultivars of this species are divided into various categories depending on their flower form. ‘Botanical Tulips’ is a kind of catchall allowing commercial bulb catalogues to have a section for ‘other kinds of tulips’. My impression is that it is used more in the US. In the UK I think you would be more likely to see the more meaningful term ‘Species Tulips’ (possibly with the rider ‘and their cultivars’). But it might depend on who the catalogue was aimed at rather than where the bulb merchant was based.

I try to remember the difference between flames and feathers when it comes to tulips. This plant is becoming too difficult!
I think it’s got to be a bunch from the shop to help enjoy the starting of Spring.

@William – I agree.
@Helen – Really?
@Susan – Yes, the name does seem rather silly – but it did encourage me to buy them!
@Lesley – I think they would look great on the slope behind our house!

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