Darwin hybrid tulip

Questions about Darwin hybrid tulip

Does Darwin hybrid tulip need sun or shade?

Darwin hybrid tulip grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does Darwin hybrid tulip grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 7. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).

Above zone 7 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does Darwin hybrid tulip flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late April to mid May. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should Darwin hybrid tulip be planted?

5 in (12 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 6 in (15 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 24 in (60 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many Darwin hybrid tulip plants do I need?

At 5 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 74 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 26 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 238 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as handfuls of five or seven, in the gaps between other plants.

In the bed above, the planner used three in one group.

Is Darwin hybrid tulip poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: moderate toxicity to dogs, cats and horses. The bulbs are the most poisonous part and cause vomiting, drooling and diarrhoea in pets. Handling the bulbs can irritate skin.

Rated from the ASPCA. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

What can I plant to hide Darwin hybrid tulip's leaves after it flowers?

A bulb's leaves have to be left to yellow for about six weeks after flowering, to feed next year's flowers. Plant it among perennials that come up late and spread wide, and they grow over the leaves as they fade:

• Catmint 'Walker's Low': 24 in tall and 2½ ft wide, a recorded partner, in flower mid May to mid September.
• Daylily: 2½ ft tall and 24 in wide, a recorded partner, in flower late June to early August.
• Peony: 3 ft tall and 3 ft wide, a recorded partner, in flower late May to late June.

What does Darwin hybrid tulip look like in winter?

Darwin hybrid tulip is underground: it dies back after flowering and waits as a bulb until spring. Mark where it is, so a fork does not find it first.