Many people tend to think of tulips as a spring time only flower, but in reality a good floral designer knows that they can get them all year round. Yes, they are more limited (as well as a bit more costly) during the summer months but they still can be found. I use a lot of tulips in wedding work. They look wonderful in bouquets as well as arrangements and can be used by themselves or with other flowers. There are three types of tulips available to designers: 1. Regular tulips 2. Parrot tulips 3. French tulips. Let’s take a closer look at these varieties and what makes them different.
Regular tulips are perhaps the most commonly found tulips. They come in a wide range of colors and can be found in a single or double variety. The double variety does not have as many colors to choose from, but their abundance of petals makes them a beautiful show stopper! Regular tulips can also be found with several colors in one bloom. Variegated colors such as purple/white, green/pink and red/white are all fun options. This variety is also the one that is found year round. They will be smaller and a bit more expensive but when you just got to have tulips and it is July this is the way to go!
A Parrot tulip is identifiable by a common factor to all no matter what the color. They all have frilled edges and they are all variegated to some degree. Many of the colors tend to have green “streaks” running through the petals with some even having 3 colors in one blossom! Red, green and yellow is one such example of this. Parrot tulips tend to be more expensive than regular tulips, but their unique look can add a lot of depth the any arrangement and so can be worth the price.
French tulips are the biggest and longest stemmed of all the tulip varieties. They tend to have very large heads and work very well in larger arrangements such as vase pieces for a ceremony space. They are also the most expensive of the three varieties; however their larger size justifies the higher price tag. They also have a variety that is a cross between French and parrot. The head sizes are large with the same long stems, but the petals have that frilled and variegated look to them as well. Colors are more limited than the regular tulips.
Fun facts about all three varieties: tulips tend to keep “growing” after they are cut. They gravitate towards light and warmth so their stems tend to grow towards that. Designers when using tulips know this so we take steps to ensure that wherever they decide to grow out they will still look beautiful in whatever design style we are producing. When I get tulips in for an event, after I process them I leave them out of my cooler for a day or two on purpose. I know that they will mature and become larger just due to the fact that they love to keep growing even though they are a cut flower and not an actual plant anymore. Check out the gallery for pictures of tulips arrangements!
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