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Tulip Curly Sue

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Tulip Curly Sue (Tulipa hybrida) is a striking tulip known for its deep purple blooms with finely fringed, curly petals that add a unique touch of texture to your garden. As the flowers mature, their vibrant purple hue deepens, creating an eye-catching display. The lush foliage provides a perfect backdrop to these stunning blooms. Thriving in cool to subtropical climates, full sun, and well-draining soil, Tulip Curly Sue is perfect for adding elegance and charm to your garden. Its tall stems make it an excellent choice for beds, borders, containers, and mass plantings, where it can be admired from every angle. This tulip is also ideal for cut flower arrangements, offering long-lasting beauty both in the garden and indoors.

SKU: TCTULCSU003 Category: Tags: ,

Description

What Is Tulip Curly Sue?
Tulip Curly Sue (Tulipa hybrida) is a fringe tulip and bulbous perennial in the Liliaceae family, native to Central Asia. It’s known for its deep purple blooms with finely fringed, curly petals. With sturdy stems and lush foliage, this tall variety adds height and a unique, eye-catching touch to spring gardens.

Uses
Tulip Curly Sue thrives in beds, borders, and containers. It creates a striking display in mass plantings or as cut flowers. Its distinctive fringed blooms make it a standout feature, adding beauty, texture, and elegance to gardens and floral arrangements.

Growing Tulips in Your Climate

Tulips thrive in cool to subtropical climates, growing best in regions with cold winters, temperate springs, and dry summers. For best results, plant from March onwards, with the ideal time around Mother’s Day in May. By then, the soil has cooled, supporting bulb growth. Tulips are pre-chilled before delivery, and ready for planting when soil conditions are suitable.

If bulbs arrive when soil is still warm, cooler climates can store them in a cool, dry spot or in the refrigerator (2–5°C) if no suitable space is available. In warmer climates, store bulbs in a paper bag in the refrigerator, away from ethylene-producing fruits like apples or bananas.

Should I Naturalise or Replant Tulips Each Year?
Tulips can be left in the ground to naturalise, blooming year after year in most climates. Bulbs thrive in dry, shaded spots under deciduous trees, summer perennials, or mulch, with cold winters supporting their growth cycle. Natural rainfall is usually sufficient, but in areas with extremely wet summers, they should be lifted and stored to prevent rot. In arid climates where the soil stays too warm, bulbs should also be lifted and stored to ensure proper flowering. In subtropical and tropical climates, where wet, humid summers pose a risk, or when grown in pots, tulips are best treated as annuals for fresh, vibrant blooms each year.

Planting Tulips

Location and Soil

Select a sunny to partially shaded area with well-draining soil. Provide afternoon shade in warmer areas. Loosen the soil to 20 cm, enriching it with compost or well-rotted manure.

Depth and Spacing
Plant bulbs 10 cm deep in cooler climates or 15 cm (three times their height) in warmer regions, spaced 10-15 cm apart. This depth protects bulbs and encourages growth.

Watering and Mulching
After planting, water well to settle the soil and encourage roots. Maintain consistent moisture but avoid waterlogging. Mulch with a 5 cm layer of straw or bark to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature.

Fertilising
Add compost when preparing soil for slow-release nutrients. Use liquid fertiliser as leaves emerge for growth. After flowering, apply a complete fertiliser (like blood and bone) to support bulbs. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilisers that promote leaves over blooms.

Pots and Containers
Tulips thrive in pots, perfect for patios and balconies. Use a container with drainage holes and a high-quality potting mix enriched with compost. Plant bulbs close together for a full display, ensuring they don’t touch. Water regularly to maintain moist but not soggy soil.

Aftercare

  • Foliage: Allow foliage to die back naturally to store energy for the next year. Cut leaves only once they turn yellow.
  • Deadheading: Remove spent flowers to direct energy to the bulb.
  • Watering: Reduce watering as the foliage yellows and the bulb enters dormancy.

Division
Divide tulip bulbs every 3-5 years to prevent overcrowding. Lift bulbs after the foliage dies, separate the offsets, and replant or store them in a cool, dry place.

Pests and Diseases

  • Pests: Aphids, slugs, and snails may damage leaves and flowers. Use barriers or traps.
  • Diseases: Prevent rot and fungus by planting in well-drained soil, spacing bulbs properly, and removing infected plants.

Safety

Tulip bulbs are harmful if eaten, so keep them out of reach of pets and children. If you have sensitive skin, consider wearing gloves when handling them.

Caution: Harmful if eaten.

Supplied as dormant bulbs.

Additional information

Price Code

B – Aqua Pack
Botanical Name

Tulipa hybrida
Quantity in Pack

3 Bulbs
Flowering Time

Mid to Late Spring
Planting Time

Plant from March onwards, when the ground has cooled. Late autumn, such as May or around Mother’s Day, is an ideal time to plant in all climates, ensuring the bulbs establish roots before winter and store energy for healthy growth.
Growing Height

30-80 cm
Planting Depth

Plant at least 15 cm deep. Fringe tulips are a taller variety, which means they benefit from extra stability. Planting them at this depth helps protect the bulbs from frost, supports strong root development, and ensures they stay upright in windy or rainy conditions, resulting in a more resilient and vibrant display.
Soil

Loosen soil to a depth of 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) and mix in compost or well-rotted manure. Aim for a neutral to slightly acidic pH (6.0-7.0). The nutrients from the manure or compost provide a good start for the tulips, reducing the immediate need for additional fertiliser. If compost or manure isn't available, you can alternatively apply a complete organic fertiliser before planting.
How to Plant

Choose a full sun location with at least six hours of sunlight daily. In warmer climates, provide afternoon shade to protect tulips from excessive heat. Loosen the soil to 20-25 cm and enrich it with compost or well-rotted manure for nutrients—avoid fresh manure, as it can harm developing plants. Plant bulbs 15 cm deep—roughly three times their height—with the pointed side up. For pots, use a high-quality potting mix enriched with compost or a complete organic fertiliser. Ensure pots are deep enough; a 15 cm pot can hold about four tulips spaced slightly closer but with room for growth. Cover with soil and apply mulch to conserve moisture, insulate against extreme cold, and protect bulbs from early frost in cooler climates. In warmer climates, mulch helps retain soil moisture, regulate temperature, and prevent bulbs from drying out. Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil and maintain consistent moisture as tulips grow, ensuring the soil stays moist but not waterlogged.
Watering

After planting, water tulips thoroughly. Once growth emerges, water every 7–10 days, adjusting based on weather conditions, as tulips thrive in cool, moist soil. In warmer and drier regions, regular watering is essential to prevent the soil from drying out completely. Keep the soil moist but avoid waterlogging; in cooler climates, natural rainfall is often sufficient. For potted tulips, water regularly, allowing the soil to dry slightly between waterings to prevent bulb rot, while maintaining enough moisture to support growth and flowering. Keep bulbs relatively dry during dormancy to avoid rot.
Fertilise

If not using compost, enrich the soil with a complete organic fertiliser. Apply a liquid fertiliser when the leaves emerge, and top-dress with a complete organic fertiliser, like blood and bone, after flowering.
Pruning

Tulips do not require extensive pruning, but spent flowers should be removed after blooming to prevent seed production, which can drain energy from the bulb. This simple step helps the plant focus on storing energy for the next season. However, it’s important to leave the foliage intact until it naturally yellows and dies back, as it plays a crucial role in photosynthesis and energy storage. Avoid cutting green leaves, as this can weaken the bulb and reduce future flowering potential. In regions with wet summers or where it’s hard to maintain a cool spot, tulip bulbs should be lifted and stored each year after flowering. After lifting, allow the bulbs to dry in a shaded, well-ventilated area until they feel dry and firm on the outside. Once ready, store them in open brown paper bags or orange mesh bags. If a naturally cool, dry, well-ventilated space isn't available, bulbs can be stored in the refrigerator. Keep them away from fruits like apples to prevent ethylene gas damage.
For successful replanting, bulbs should undergo a 6–8 week chilling period prior to planting to replicate the cold conditions required for future growth and flowering.

For tulips grown in pots, it’s best to treat them as annuals for the most reliable blooms. However, if you’d like to attempt growing them again, they should be planted in the ground rather than back in pots, as the ground provides more stable temperatures, better insulation, and improved moisture control to support the cool dormancy period needed for regrowth.
Please Note: Offsets—small bulbs that grow alongside mature tulip bulbs—take a couple of seasons to mature and bloom. Dry them after separation, store in a cool, dry place, and replant at the right time. Use mature bulbs for next-season blooms and mark offset locations to avoid disturbance.
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