Tulipa fosteriana Candela Festival

The  Tulip forsteriana 'Candela Festival' is a flamboyant bicolour variety derived from the Tulip fosteriana, prized for its early flowering, its longevity in the garden, and its ability to naturalise in favorable conditions. The stylish curve of its flower is beautifully complemented by a vermillion red colour generously streaked with yellow. A true festival of colours that emerges with spring, often as early as mid-March, depending on the region. With a relatively short stem, this fosteriana tulip demonstrates excellent performance in flower beds.

The Tulipa fosteriana is a very hardy botanical species native to Turkestan. Tulips derived from T. fosteriana belong to division 13, they are reliable performers: they are among the first tulips to bloom, sometimes as early as March 15, they naturalise and multiply easily, so there is no need to replace them regularly. This 'Candela Festival' variety was registered in 2015. It produces rather short, sturdy but flexible stems, 30-35 cm (12-14in) long, bearing at their tip a narrow cup-shaped corolla, which opens into a 12 cm (5in) star when fully bloomed. Underneath this flowering, large leaves grow which will dry out a few weeks after flowering. The bulb goes dormant in summer. At this time, it is perfectly indifferent to water shortage.

The Fosteriana tulips are suitable for all uses, in flower beds, borders, and even in bouquets for the taller varieties. Their sparkling yet elegant colors pair well with blue hyacinths, grape hyacinths, or with other tulips. Don't forget to consider the height and flowering period when designing your flower beds, as these parameters vary significantly from one cultivar to another. It is wise to plant a few more bulbs for cutting, as they make beautiful cut flowers that last a long time in a vase. The bicolour flowers of 'Candela Festival' pair beautifully with the white corollas of Purissima  for example.