Herb latin name: Tulipa sylvestris


Synonyms: Tulipa florentina


Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)



Description of the plant:



Plant:
Bulb


Height:
25 cm
(9 3/4 inch)

Flowering:
April
to May

Scent:
Scented
Bulb

Habitat of Tulipa sylvestris:

Meadows, orchards and rocky places. Often found growing in chalk pits and low-lying waste ground.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown in a shady part of the cold frame as soon as it is ripe in early summer, or in the early autumn. A spring sowing of stored seed in the greenhouse also succeeds. Sow the seed thinly so that the seedlings can be grown on without disturbance for their first growing season - apply liquid feeds to the pot if necessary. Divide the bulbs once the plants have become dormant, putting 3 - 4 bulbs in each pot. Grow the on in the greenhouse for at least the next year, planting them out when dormant. Division of offsets in July. Larger bulbs can be planted out straight into their permanent positions, or can be stored in a cool place and then be planted out in late autumn. It is best to pot up smaller bulbs and grow them on in a cold frame for a year before planting them out when they are dormant in late summer to the middle of autumn.

Cultivation of Tulipa sylvestris:

Meadows, orchards and rocky places. Often found growing in chalk pits and low-lying waste ground.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Tulipa sylvestris:

The bulb and the flowers have been known to cause dermatitis in sensitive people, though up to 5 bulbs a day can be eaten without ill-effect.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.