In a previous article we talked about the varieties of tulips. We saw only a few of them but, How about we tell you everything you need to know about the Ballerina tulip?
It is a very curious type since its base color is orange, but it also has some peculiarities that you should discover. Do you want to know more about him to have him in the garden? Well let’s get to it.
How is the Ballerina tulip
If you have never heard of the Ballerina tulip before, you should know that it has a somewhat unknown origin., because the truth is that not much is known about why it is called that. There are some theories that say that this was given by the movement that the flowers make when the air sways them, making it appear that they are dancing (hence the ballerina = dancer).
However, there is another theory in which the reason why They are called that because it looks like an inverted skirt like the one worn by dancers. So you can stay with the theory that you like the most because really, and for sure, it is not clear why to call it that.
Leaving this aside, the Ballerina tulip is a very easy plant to grow that takes to be quite large, with a maximum height of 60 centimeters. The leaves of this one are dark green but what is most striking is, without a doubt, its long and erect stem from which orange flowers bloom. But that is not the most peculiar thing about the Ballerina tulip but the aroma of these.
It is said to be unusual in that it is quite pleasant, as well as durable. Hence, if you have it in the garden and it blooms, you may notice that fragrance for several days.
Its flowering time is spring, and it lasts about two months, which is quite a lot if we take other plants and flowers into account. In general, the months that you will enjoy them are April and May, or May and June. What does it depend on? Mainly the climate you have where you plant it. That means you can find yourself flowering even later, or even earlier.
Ballerina tulip care
You now know more about the Ballerina tulip. And as we have told you, we are talking about a plant that is said to be very easy to care for. But, Do you know exactly the care you need? Well, then we are going to tell you everything so that you do not have a problem with it.
location and temperature
Like all other tulips, the ideal location for these is outdoors. In this you can put it in semi-shade (if where you live it is usually very hot in summer, to the point of being suffocating) or in direct sun. Either way, it needs at least 8 hours of direct sun to flower and develop properly. That does not mean that you cannot have it inside the house. As long as you meet what you need, the interior or exterior location will be the least of it.
Also, when it is growing, to prevent it from burning you could not expose it to the hours of greatest incidence of the sun. But by the time she is an adult, she will have no problem putting up with them.
What you should be careful about is the wind. The petals of the Ballerina tulip are very, very thin, so if the wind blows them a lot you can find that they lose them or appear broken and will spoil the appearance of the plant.
This will make you see that, temperature-wise, you won’t have to worry about the heat. And with the cold the bulbs are usually protected. The only thing you should be careful about is frost. But if you cover the bulbs with a blanket to prevent them from getting damaged, nothing will happen (be careful with the temperature they can acquire and with fungi and diseases).
Substratum
We have to say that You can plant it both in a pot and directly in the garden. The only difference between one and the other is that you will have to be somewhat more attentive in the pot than in the garden (especially when it comes to watering).
When using a suitable soil for it, it is best to use a combination of universal substrate, peat and sand or perlite. In this way you cover the need for the earth to maintain moisture (which needs it), as well as that it drains well. Of course, if you have it in a pot make sure it has holes for the water to come out.
As for the time to plant the Ballerina tulip, we recommend that you do it in autumn (and specifically in the months of October and November). It is true that it will have to be protected from the cold, but this is good because it will prevent diseases and fungi from easily harming the plant.
Irrigation
You should know that the irrigation of the Ballerina tulip is, to say the least, curious. The first two years you have to water it often keeping the soil moist and preventing it from drying out too much. But after two years the experts tell you that you don’t have to water it since it feeds on it itself.
Now, this must be qualified because It is not the same to be in the garden, which can be applied to it, than in a pot. In this case, you will have to water it, but much less than usual.
pruning
As for pruning, although it is not necessary, It is recommended, for example, when the flowers have already withered, to cut them to prevent them from attracting pests and diseases that put the bulb at risk.
In addition, you have to control the irrigation so that it does not end up rotting the bulb. In other words, you can run out of roots, but if the bulb is intact it will come out again. But if it deteriorates, you will have lost the plant forever.
As you can see, the Ballerina tulip is one of the most appreciated. And in a garden that orange hue can look very good in contrast to the green ones. Do you have this variety of tulips? Do you dare to get a copy?
