Tulipa Maytime - Lily flowering Tulip

Tulipa 'Maytime' is a particularly elegant variety of lily-flowered tulip with slender flowers. Its finely fringed pinkish-purple petals are beautifully edged in white. A charming tulip that pairs perfectly with white, mauve, or pink flowers, along with oxalis, primroses, or variegated young hostas, in spring borders or bouquets. The flowers rise above the broadly lanceolate green deciduous leaves on stems that reach a height of 45cm (18in). It blooms from late April.

Tulipa 'Maytime' belongs to the Liliaceae family. Of horticultural origin, it is currently classified in division 6 of tulips. They were created in the early 20th century. Division 6 tulips are characterised by simple flowers that bloom in the second half of spring and feature narrow cup-shaped petals with pointed and recurved tips at opening and during the night. During the day, these flowers become wide open. They open into star-shaped flowers towards the end of their blooming. The foliage is thinner than that of other tulips. Each solitary flower is supported by a stem that appears fragile but is resistant to inclement weather. 

They are unmatched for bringing the colours of spring to pots or sunny gardens. This tulip beautifully decorates balconies and patios. When designing your flower beds, you must consider the height and flowering period of the tulips, as these parameters can vary significantly from one cultivar to another. It is wise to plant extra bulbs for bouquets, as they make superb cut flowers that last a long time in a vase.

Tulip species are found throughout most of the Old World, from Western Europe to China and Japan, including Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, and Central Asia. Their distribution range also includes North Africa and the Indian subcontinent. The centre of diversity for the genus is in the Pamir and Hindu Kush mountains and the steppes of Kazakhstan.

There are various wild species, many of which are endangered. These include large adventive tulips from cultivated fields, the most well-known being the Agen tulip (Tulipa agenensis), as well as small tulips found in wooded areas or among rocks in the mountains. In cultivation, they are called "botanical tulips", and one of the most common is the wild tulip (T. sylvestris), which used to often grow sheltered by vines and whose subspecies, australis, is known as the southern tulip.