Tulipa gesneriana Tulip PFAF Plant Database

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Tulipa gesneriana - L.

Common Name

Tulip

Family

Liliaceae

Synonyms

T. didieri. T. suaveolens. Hayek. non Roth.

Known Hazards

The bulb and the flowers have been known to cause dermatitis in sensitive people, though up to 5 bulbs a day can be eaten without ill-effect[65].

Habitats

In and around cultivated land[50].

Range

The origin of this plant is obscure, though it is naturalized in S.W. Europe.

Edibility Rating

Medicinal Rating

Care

Summary

Physical Characteristics
Tulipa gesneriana is a BULB growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in). It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower from Apr to May. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.


commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gc16_tulipa_gesneriana.jpg

pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedysta:Lukasz_Szczurowski

Habitats
Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Root. Edible Uses: Bulb - cooked[22, 61]. It can be dried and ground into a powder and then mixed with cereals when making bread etc[46, 105]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally. None known

Other Uses
Pollution. Plants have been grown indoors in pots in order to help remove toxins from the atmosphere. It has been shown to help remove formaldehyde, xylene and ammonia[259].

Cultivation details

Easily grown in a sunny position in a well-drained sandy soil with added leafmould[1]. The bulbs are very hardy, surviving soil temperatures down to about -12°c[214]. This is a complicated species, or perhaps a group of very closely related species, some members of which are probably native to Europe[50]. It is a parent of the cultivated garden tulips[50]. The flowers are sweetly scented[245]. Bulbs can be harvested in June after they have died down and then stored in a cool dry place, being planted out again in October[1].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a shady part of the cold frame as soon as it is ripe in early summer[1], or in the early autumn[200]. A spring sowing of stored seed in the greenhouse also succeeds[K]. Sow the seed thinly so that the seedlings can be grown on without disturbance for their first growing season - apply liquid feeds to the pot if necessary. Divide the bulbs once the plants have become dormant, putting 3 - 4 bulbs in each pot. Grow the on in the greenhouse for at least the next year, planting them out when dormant. Division of offsets in July. Larger bulbs can be planted out straight into their permanent positions, or can be stored in a cool place and then be planted out in late autumn. It is best to pot up smaller bulbs and grow them on in a cold frame for a year before planting them out when they are dormant in late summer to the middle of autumn.

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Expert comment

Author
L.

Botanical References
50200

Links / References

[K] Ken Fern Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956

Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[22]Sholto-Douglas. J. Alternative Foods.

Not very comprehensive, it seems more or less like a copy of earlier writings with little added.

[46]Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants.

An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[50]? Flora Europaea

An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.

[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.

Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[105]Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.

The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.

Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[214]Matthews. V. The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994.

A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Himalayacalamus hookerianus, hardy Euphorbias and an excellent article on Hippophae spp.

[245]Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World.

An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[259]Wolverton. B. C. Eco-Friendly House Plants.

Excellent guide to pollution in the home and those plants that can help to remove the problem. Most of the plants are not hardy outdoors in the temperate zone, though a number of species can be grown outside.

Readers comment

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