Today in the world there are about 10 yew. varieties of tulips. Back in 1913 in Holland, scientists divided tulips into groups, but this classification was not final, changes and changes were made. And only in 1929 the classification of tulips was published in the international register. And every year, breeders add more and more new varieties to this register. At the moment, 2500 varieties are recorded in it.
According to modern classification, the thousandth variety of tulips is divided into 15 classes, combined into 4 groups. They were classified according to the shape and color of the flower, the height of the peduncles, and the time of flowering. Each class has different growing conditions.
Group I. Early flowering tulips. Flowering – March – April.
Class 1. Simple early tulips. Peduncles are low (30 – 40 cm), strong and resistant, which do not break either wind or rain. They bloom from the end of March – in April. The flowers are cup-shaped or goblet-shaped or oval, red and yellow in color, open wide on a sunny day. Ideal for forcing, growing in pots and containers, for creating flower borders.
Class 2. Terry early tulips. Terry flowers bloom later than early ones (from the second decade of April). Peduncles are low – 20-30 cm. Flowering is long and bright, especially in sunny weather. The color of the flowers is varied, when open, the flowers reach up to 9 cm in diameter. These tulips are suitable for forcing, growing in containers and making bright, floral borders.
Group II. Medium blooming tulips. Flowering – end of April – May.
Class 3. Tulips Triumph and Mendeleev tulips. They are very popular due to good reproduction. Peduncles are high from 40 to 70 cm. The flowers are goblet-shaped, retaining their shape even on a sunny, warm day. Flowers of the most various coloring: from white to almost black. Often two-tone. These tulips bloom from the end of April – in May. Slender tulips look great in plantings in small groups. The strong flowers are ideal for cutting.
Class 4. Darwin hybrid tulips. They were included in a separate class in 1960. Tulips are strong, both peduncles and flowers. They reach a height of up to 80 m. They bloom from the beginning of May. Some varieties are distinguished by large flowers, 10 cm in diameter or more. The color of the flowers is red, or red-yellow (the flower is red with a yellow edge of the petals). In cloudy and cool weather, the flowers are goblet-shaped, in sunny and warm weather, the flowers fully open. Easily tolerate late spring frosts. In the cut, they retain freshness for a long time, ideal for creating floral arrangements.
Group III. late blooming tulips. Flowering – May – mid-May.
Class 5. Simple, non-double late – Darwin, Breeder and multi-flowered tulips. Tulips are tall 60 – 70 cm. Darwin – have large, goblet-shaped flowers with a square base. Briderovy – have flowers oval – ovoid, with a metallic shade. Multi-flowered – varieties with several flowers on one peduncle. The color of late flowering tulips is the most diverse, one-color, two-color, motley. These tulips bloom in mid-May. Used in flower beds in group plantings. By planting them with early flowering tulips, you will achieve continuous and long flowering throughout the spring.
Class 6. lily-colored tulips. The shape of the flower resembles lily flowers. The flowers are graceful, elongated, with pointed petals. and tepals bent outwards. Flowers of various colors: white, yellow, pink, red, burgundy, often two-tone. The height of lily-colored tulips is 50-60 cm. Peduncles are powerful and flexible. Flowering is observed in mid-May. Lily-colored tulips in flowerbeds, planted in small groups (5-7 pieces each), look very impressive. They stand for a long time in a vase of water.
Class 7. Fringed tulips. These tulips were singled out in a separate class in 1981. They differ from other tulips in the needle-like fringe on the edges of the petals. A small fringe resembles crystals of frozen frost. The height of fringed tulips depends on the variety and varies in the aisles of 50 – 80 cm. The color of the flowers is varied. Flowering time also depends on the variety.
Class 8. Green-flowered tulips. Differs in greenish color of a perianth. In the garden, green-flowered tulips are still rare. The color of the flowers is white, yellow, red, with a green shade on the outside. Height is different, depending on the variety. Green-flowered tulips bloom in mid-May. Original flowers for flower beds and floristic compositions.
Class 9. Tulips Rembrandt. Includes all variegated and fancy colored tulips. Every possible combination of colors, spots, strokes, stripes on the petals. The shape of the flowers, most varieties, goblet. Peduncles 35 – 70 cm high. Flowering is observed in mid-May. Due to the unusual color of the petals, most often these tulips are grown for cutting. But they also look divine in the garden.
Class 10. Parrot tulips. The flowers of these tulips are somewhat similar to exotic multi-colored parrots. They have bright, variegated, recurved, wavy petals with jagged edges. In cloudy and cool weather, the flowers are goblet-shaped, in sunny and warm weather, the flowers open wide. The height of the peduncles depends on the variety, and ranges from 34 to 60 cm in the aisles. These tulips bloom from the second decade of May. Blooming tulips give the garden an exotic look.
Class 11. Terry late tulips. Late flowering varieties. The flowers are densely double, peony-shaped. The color of the flowers is varied, often two-colored. Planted in flower beds, discounts, in places protected from strong winds.
Group I IV. Other types of tulips, their hybrids and varieties.
Class 12. Kaufman’s tulips (hybrids). Differ in the earliest flowering. Blooms in March – April. Plants are stunted – 15 – 20 cm in height. The leaves are gray-green, often with white or red stripes. The flowers are large, long (when closed, they resemble a candle). In sunny weather, the flowers open wide and become star-shaped. Flower color – yellow, cream, red, pink, often two-tone. These undersized tulips, planted in small groups on an alpine hill, give the garden an irresistible look. Ideal for decorating flower beds, as a border plant.
Class 13. Foster’s tulips (hybrids). Unlike Kaufmann’s tulips, it blooms later and has larger flowers. The flowers are elongated, up to 15 cm in height. The shape of the flowers is cup-shaped or goblet-shaped. Flowers all shades of red, sometimes yellow. The height of the peduncles is 35 – 50 cm.
Class 14. Greig’s tulips. Species are undersized. The flowers are large, the tips of the petals are slightly bent. Leaves are speckled. Flowers in all shades of red, orange or bicolor. Flowering is observed in late April – May. Ideal for alpine slides, and border decoration.
Class 15. Tulips with biological characteristics of wild species. This group included all wild-growing species of tulips. The group is diverse. All species differ in the shape and color of the flowers, as well as in the timing of flowering.
PS The timing of flowering of all types of tulips may vary. They depend on climatic conditions and places of growth. Blooms in all types of tulips last for two to four weeks. But if the spring is very warm, tulips fade very quickly.
Published: 20.06.2014
