How to Plant and Grow Lily-Flowering Tulip

Some of the most elegant of all spring bulbs, lily-flowering tulips have curved petals that stand majestically on top of strong, 16- to 24-inch-tall stems. On sunny days these tulips look like a beautiful six-pointed star when fully open. Lily-flowering tulips bloom late in the spring bulb season. Plant these tulips with grape hyacinths and miniature daffodils for a colorful display that will decorate the garden for 3 weeks or more. Lily-flowering hybrids, like most tulips, bloom best the first year after planting. They often bloom again the second year after planting but with fewer and smaller flowers. Unlike daffodils, which are perennial and return year after year, lily-flowering tulips bloom only for a year or two. For the best display, plan to purchase and replant new bulbs each fall.

Cut Flower Favorite

Stock your bulb cutting garden with elegant lily-flowering tulips and enjoy creating bouquets as soon as the temperatures warm next spring. Other tulips to consider include bold triumph tulips, parrot tulips, all types of daffodils, hyacinths, and summer snowflake (Leucojum spp.). Your bouquets will boast a symphony of welcome color after a long winter, and also add sweet fragrance to a room.

Lily-Flowering Tulip Care Must-Knows

Like all tulip bulbs, lily-flowering tulips require well-drained soil and at least 6 hours of bright sunlight per day. Tulips do best in soil that is relatively dry in summer and well-drained in winter. Wet, boggy soil in winter quickly leads to bulb rot.

The best time to plant tulip bulbs is mid-fall or when the nighttime temperatures consistently hover in the 40s. Prepare the planting bed, breaking up any clods as you dig a 6- to 8-inch-deep planting trench. Place the bulbs 6 inches apart in the bottom of the trench and cover them with loose soil. Water tulips well after planting.

Varieties of Lily-Flowering Tulip

'Ballade' Tulip

This variety of Tulipa gracefully shades from deep burgundy-purple at the center of each petal to pale lavender-white on the edge. When fully open, the petals reveal yellow markings at their bases. It grows 16 inches tall and blooms late in the season. Plant in zones 3-8.

'Ballerina' Tulip

Tulipa 'Ballerina' grows 20 inches tall. The tangerine-orange blooms brushed in yellow might have you performing pirouettes in the garden with their delightful fragrance. Plant in zones 3-8.

'China Pink' Tulip

Pure pink blooms on sturdy but delicate-looking, slender stems make this Tulipa variety special. They reach 20 inches tall. This Royal Horticulture Horticultural Society award winner blooms in midspring. Plant in zones 3-8.

'Holland Chic' Tulip

Tulipa 'Holland Chic' appears nearly white with a blush of pink when blooms are tightly closed, but as the flowers open, a deeper pink stripe inside becomes apparent. This lily-flowered, late-blooming tulip grows 24 inches tall. Plant in zones 3-8.

'White Triumphator' Tulip

This variety of Tulipa is a late-season bloomer on stems that grow to 24 inches tall. It has large, long-lasting, ivory-white flowers. Try it with white bleeding heart for a dazzling evening garden combination. Plant in zones 3-8.

'Tres Chic' Tulip

Tulipa 'Tres Chic' bears pure white lily-shape flowers on stems up to 24 inches tall. Its large blooms appear in mid- to late season. Plant in zones 3-8.

'Mona Lisa' Tulip

This selection of Tulipa will make you smile when its bright yellow flowers painted with lipstick-red burst into bloom. It grows 16 inches tall. Plant in zones 3-8.

'West Point' Tulip

Tulipa 'West Point' is a late-season bloomer on stems 22 inches tall. It has lemon-yellow flowers with long petals that are curved with pointed ends. Plant in zones 3-8.

'Virichic' Tulip

Also classified as a Viridiflora tulip, these pink Tulipa beauties have a stunning green streak down the center of each petal. 18 inches tall. Plant in zones 3-7.