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Tulipa humilis Helene

Tulipa humilis Helene
Eastern Tulip, Candy Tulip

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This small, fragrant tulip is a variant of the botanic species whose flowers are light pink with a yellow throat. It is one of the first to bloom, starting in March, at a height of 15 cm from the soil. Easy to naturalise in very well-draining soil, it looks stunning in pots, rockeries, or dry borders.
Flower size
5 cm
Height at maturity
15 cm
Spread at maturity
10 cm
Exposure
Sun
Hardiness
Hardy down to -18°C
Soil moisture
Dry soil, Moist soil
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Best planting time October
Recommended planting time September to November
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Flowering time March
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Description

Tulipa humilis 'Hélène' is a variety of botanical species with fragrant flowers that are a soft pink colour with a golden yellow throat. It blooms as early as March, close to the ground, and its star-shaped flowers emit a pleasant fragrance. It is a small very cold-resistant plant, adapted to arid soils, which naturalises easily in somewhat sparse conditions. It can be planted in a planter, in a rock garden, or in a well-drained border.

The Dwarf Tulip Hélène rarely exceeds 15 cm high when flowering. The species is widespread in the Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and as far north as Russia. This small tulip has an extremely variable appearance depending on its origin, a characteristic that sometimes makes it difficult to identify its subspecies or varieties. Botanical tulips are herbaceous bulbs of the Lily family, small bulbs that do not exceed 3 to 4 cm in diameter.

The variety of tulip humilis 'Hélène' bears a round flower with 3 pointed sepals at the end of a short floral stem, which are identical to petals. They are a light pink colour with a large yellow spot at the base. The corolla takes its time to fully open in the sun, in a star shape, exhaling a sweet and peppery fragrance. The foliage consists of bluish-green, relatively narrow leaves, sometimes almost rolled up, 10 to 15 cm long. They appear in autumn in mild climates, persist in winter, and dry up at the end of spring. The bulb goes dormant in summer.

Tulipa humilis 'Hélène', despite its delicate appearance, proves to be reliable and faithful if its preferences are respected: dry soil in summer, preferably limestone, and cold and fairly dry winters. It will naturally find a place in a rock garden or on a slightly wild slope. Its small star-shaped flowers close to the ground bring the garden to life, starting from the end of winter, alongside spring crocuses with which it blends perfectly. It adapts well to pots or planters, allowing you to enjoy its unusual flowering and its fragrance up close. It can be interesting to plant humilis tulips in the middle of the silver basket (Cerastium): their flowers emerge from this silver carpet that will bloom at the right time to hide their dried foliage.

Botanical tulips and their varieties, like this selection, do not 'degenerate' over time. They naturalise, can remain in place for several years without special maintenance, and thrive in borders and rock gardens. To create colourful scenes, they can be paired with various small bulbs: Ipheion, Anemone blanda 'Blue Shades', Cyclamen coum...

 




 

Plant habit

Height at maturity 15 cm
Spread at maturity 10 cm
Growth rate normal

Flowering

Flower colour pink
Flowering time March
Inflorescence Solitary
Flower size 5 cm
Fragrance slightly scented, sweet, peppery

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour green

Botanical data

Genus

Tulipa

Species

humilis

Cultivar

Helene

Family

Liliaceae

Other common names

Eastern Tulip, Candy Tulip

Botanical synonyms

Tulipa aucheriana, Tulipa pulchella

Origin

Caucasus

Product reference22680

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Planting and care

Plant Tulipa humilis 'Helene' bulbs in the autumn, from September to November (or even December), at a depth of 5 cm, spacing them 10 cm apart in ordinary, slightly acidic, neutral or alkaline, light, loose, sandy or gravelly soil, in all cases well-draining. Never add poorly decomposed manure or compost to the planting soil, as this could cause the bulbs to rot. Botanic tulips will grow well in soil which is moist in spring and autumn, and dry in summer. Plant it in a sunny spot. Once flowering is finished, it is a good idea to remove the seed heads to avoid exhausting the bulb.

1
€7.50 Bag

Planting period

Best planting time October
Recommended planting time September to November
Planting depth 5 cm

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Rockery
Type of use Border, Edge of border, Container, Slope
Hardiness Hardy down to -18°C (USDA zone 7a) Show map
Ease of cultivation Experienced
Planting density 60 per m2
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Neutral, Calcareous
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil, Well-drained soil

Care

Pruning instructions Once the flowering is finished, it is a good idea to remove the seed heads so as not to exhaust the plant. Allow the leaves to dry completely before cutting them.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time April
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil
Disease resistance Very good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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