Mini Tulip Plants

Tulipa Clusiana

• Tulipa clusiana rarely grows over 10 inches tall. The flowers are narrow in bud and open to starry flowers with six petals. The subspecies chrysantha is a bright yellow flower with a red blush on the outside petals, making them appear red in bud. Tinka is a variety similar to chrysantha but is a paler yellow, and Honky Tonk is yellow with just a slight blush. Cynthia has a soft yellow blushed flower, and Lady Jane breaks the mold with its white flowers blushed purple-red.

Tulipa Batallini

• Tulipa batallini is native to Asia where it grows wild on stony hillsides, rarely reaching 7 inches tall. Its leaves are thinner than well-known hybrids. The straight species is hard to obtain commercially, but there are several named varieties that are popular. Apricot Jewel has yellow flowers with a orange-red center rib and it fades to become a pale peach. Bright Gem is yellow with a peachy blush, and Red Gem is a bright red with black markings in the center.

Tulipa Humilis

• Tulipa humilis is native to the areas around Turkey and Iran near the snow line, and grows to about 6 inches tall. One very pretty subspecies is Tulipa humilis alba coerulea oculata. It's a long name but well worth the time it takes to request it; its snowy white flowers have a lovely soft lavender center. There are several notable named varieties. Eastern Star has purplish-pink petals with a bright yellow center, and Magenta Queen is has medium magenta-purple flowers. Persian Pearl is deep purple with a yellow center, and Lilliput is cardinal red.

Other Notable Dwarf Varieties

• There are hundreds of other miniature tulips, but some are just to distinctive to pass over. Tulipa tarda is often compared to a fried egg, having yellow flowers with white petal tips. Tulipa bakeri "Lilac Wonder" and Tulipa saxtalis have soft lavender flowers with wide yellow centers. Tulipa turkestania is pure bright white with a yellow center, and Tulipa wilsoniana is bright red.