Tulipa greigii Albion Star

The 'Albion Star' Botanical Tulip is a charming variety, initially pale and then more colourful when it opens and reveals its heart. It offers a soft shade, a slightly infused off-white with a touch of pink. The flower is disproportionate to the size of the plant and reaches up to 12 cm in diameter when open, revealing black, red, and yellow markings in the centre. The flowers emerge from a pale grey-green, slightly streaked foliage and there are three or four per stem.

Belonging to the Liliaceae family, greigii Tulips have attractive characteristics: they are small, reaching about twenty centimetres and are therefore placed at the edge of paths, but also in rockeries, along with all the early small bulbs. These tulips do not disappear after a few years of cultivation. More perennial than horticultural tulips, they renew the charm of spring for a longer period. Originating from Central Asia, they are hardy and robust and are suitable for many climates. They appreciate a rather well-drained soil and can be satisfied with a low-nutrient substrate.
'Albion Star' reaches a height of 25 to 30 cm. It will also thrive in pots or hanging baskets, to brighten up window sills and terraces in spring compositions. 'Albion Star' has beautiful oblong, green, 10-15 cm wide, thick, and, of course, sheathing leaves. From March, beautiful corollas unfold in a range of light and tender shades. Perched on a sturdy stem, the cup is formed by tepals ending in a point, with a base colour of off-white. Depending on the maturity of the flower, it takes on light pink nuances. When the flower is fully open, it reveals intense shades: black, red, and yellow markings in the centre.

Paired with brightly coloured spring bulbs, the 'Albion Star' greigii Tulip is a delight for the eyes at the end of winter. Its reasonable size allows it to sneak into rockeries, but also in containers to tenderly welcome March. Easy, sturdy, and low-maintenance, it reappears vigorously every year and allows for staggered flowering with Crocus, Muscari, and Daffodils in refined and delicate compositions.