Darwin hybrid tulips (Tulipa spp.) Are long-blooming tulips valued for their large, glowing, cup-shaped flowers atop sturdy stems. At maturity, Darwin hybrid tulips reach heights up to 28 inches. The tulips, which come in an assortment of solid and and multicolors, grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 7. It is possible to plant Darwin tulips in warmer climates if you give the bulbs a chilling time before planting.
Red Darwin Tulips
Darwin hybrid tulip cultivars incorporate a variety of reds, from glowing cherry red to vibrant red. “Apeldoorn” is a cherry red variety with bright red inner petals. The black bases display contrasting yellow bands. “Gordon Cooper” is a bright red tulip that fades to pink inside the blooms. The bases of this cup-shaped flowers are yellow and black. “Parade” has bright red blooms with a dark base and the edges of the blossoms are a vibrant shade of yellowish. “Bienvenue” is a bright red tulip with distinctive pink, flame-shaped variegation and also a greenish-yellow base. All four achieve mature heights of approximately 18 inches.
Yellow Darwin Tulips
Yellow Darwin hybrid tulips are bright, cheery blossoms that light up the garden in spring. For example, “Apeldoorn’s Elite,” which reaches heights of approximately 18 inches in maturity, is a bright yellow tulip with feathery red variegation and dark markings at the base. “Jewel of Spring” is a slightly shorter tulip at about 15 inches. The flowers are yellowish and the bases of the flowers are black and green. “Hans Mayer” is a vibrant yellow tulip with contrasting red flames and a green tinted base.
Gold Darwin Tulips
Some Darwin hybrid tulip varieties have rich, warm hues of stone, like “Golden Parade” a golden tulip using golden-yellow hues inside the dark bases. “Golden Apeldoorn” includes lemony-gold blooms with dark, star-shaped patterns on the foundation. “Gudoshnik” is differentiated by gold petals with reddish-orange, feathery splotches and dark markings at the bottom of their blooms. All grow about 18 inches tall.
Pink Darwin Tulips
You can select from a huge array of Darwin hybrid tulips in a variety of hues of pink. A tall variety measuring about 24 inches, “Big Chief” is a dark pink tulip with a light green tint. “Dawnglow,” which reaches heights of 18 inches, is a rosy-peach tulip using a green base and orange-yellow internal leaves. “Elizabeth Arden,” a smaller, 12-inch selection, displays deep peach-pink, violet-tinted blooms with yellow and white bases. “Pink Impression,” another 2-foot selection, creates pink blooms marked with rosy red and veins edges. The bases are black and greenish-yellow.
White Darwin Tulips
Although white Darwin hybrid tulips are fewer in number, they’re no less striking in appearance. “Ivory Floradale” is a creamy white variety using green-tinted base. It is mature height is approximately 2 feet. “Ollioules” also reaching heights of almost two feet, is a white tulip with eye-catching magenta flames. “Ollioules” is a great choice for warmer climates.
Chilling Darwin Tulips
Tulips, such as many other spring-blooming bulbs, need a period of cold to store energy for the coming blooming season. To replicate this natural chilling period, store the bulbs in the refrigerator for at least four to six weeks prior to planting time. Don’t store the tulip bulbs near apples or other fruit, as fruits emit emit ethylene gas that will damage the bulbs. Planting time starts in October. You may safely plant Darwin hybrid tulips as late as early December in climates where the ground does not freeze.