Wildflower Tulip Collection

The Tulips that Started It All!

There's no doubt that Holland is the motherland of the modern tulip, but did you know the earliest-known tulips were first discovered growing wild in Central Asia and present-day Turkey?

Imported to Holland in the 16^th century, those original wild tulip species looked quite different from the carefully bred Dutch hybrids that are popular today. Smaller overall, with multiple blooms per stem, they also open wider, revealing prominent flower centres in a contrasting colour to the rest of the bloom.

Commonly called species tulips, non-hybrid varieties can still be found growing wild in regions of Asia and the Middle East. Traveling tulip lovers are often shocked to see these delicate-looking flowers thriving in mountainous and desert environments.
Breck's® Wildflower Tulip Collection celebrates these species, which are typically harder to find and more costly than standard hybrids. In fact, you could pay up to $28.99 on our website for just one of the varieties included in this collection.

Low Growers with a Higher Purpose

In recent years, gardeners worldwide have united in concern over the decline in the bee population. Scientists have offered many theories to explain the cause of this phenomenon, including parasites, pesticides and loss of habitat. But one thing the experts agree on is the importance of these beneficial pollinators in our daily lives.

One way that home gardeners can help bees succeed is to plant more flowers that these pollinators prefer. Wild tulips bulbs, like the ones in our Wildflower Tulip Collection, open wider than modern hybrids, giving bees easy access to the tasty treasures inside. Flower nectar gives adult bees energy, and the precious pollen is brought back to the hive to share with the rest of the colony. In the case of honey bees, the nectar is also used to create honey, which is then stored for winter nourishment.

Wild Tulips - Long-Lived & Loved By Pollinators

When most people think of tulips, they likely picture large, egg-shaped blooms atop knee-high stems. But those tulips are the result of centuries of hybridization. True tulip lovers also make room in their gardens for unconventional wild tulips, which naturalize beautifully and open wide for bees and butterflies.

Perennial by Nature—Even in the South

All five wild tulip bulb varieties in our Collection have incredible naturalizing qualities. Not surprising, since their ancestors reproduced in the wild for centuries. And unlike Dutch hybrid tulips, Wildflower Tulips don't require a chilling period to bloom the following spring. That means they're a low-maintenance option for warmer regions as well.

The toughest and most forgiving tulips you'll ever grow, these natural beauties not only give back to the bees, they'll give you a gift as well when they return each spring in greater numbers. Place them in front of taller hybridized varieties, or sprinkle them throughout your beds or even in rock gardens for an early pop of colour. They thrive in zones: 3-8 where the light is sunny to partially shady.

This collection includes 15 Golden Charm Tulips, 5 Wild Blue Heart^™ Tulips, 10 Lilac Wonder Tulips, 10 Orphanidea Flava Tulips and 10 Odalisque Tulips of the following varieties:

Golden Charm: Tulipa dasystemon tarda - This sweetly scented wild tulip variety has been winning awards consistently for over 100 years! Brilliant lemon-yellow blooms feature pure white petal edges and tips.

Bulb Size: 7/8 cm

Height: 3–4"

Bloom Time: Early to Mid Spring

Wild Blue Heart^™: Tulipa humilis 'Alba Coerulea Oculata' - White, wide-eyed blooms are blessed with distinctive steel-blue centres that lead the bees to their sweet reward.

Bulb Size: 6+ cm

Height: 4"

Bloom Time: Early to Mid Spring

Lilac Wonder: Tulipa bakeri 'Lilac Wonder' - Lavender-pink blooms with bright yellow hearts shimmer in the sunshine. This tulip's first recorded discovery was in 1895 on the mountain plateaus of Crete.

Bulb Size: 6+ cm

Height: 6"

Bloom Time: Mid Spring

Orphanidea Flava: Tulipa orphanidea 'Flava' - The tallest in this low-growing collection, Orphanidea Flava was selected for its precise colour combination of greenish yellow and contrasting garnet red.

Bulb Size: 6+ cm

Height: 7–9"

Bloom Time: Mid to Late Spring

Odalisque: Tulipa humilis 'Odalisque' - Vibrant magenta blooms with contrasting gold centres are as eye catching as they come. Often called the crocus tulip for its strong resemblance when the bloom is closed.

Bulb Size: 6+ cm

Height: 4"

Bloom Time: Early to Mid Spring