Tulipa polychroma

Tulipa polychroma - an excellent miniature species for the rock garden, with charming white 

"star cups" on 2-3" (5 - 7.5 cm) stems. The center of the flower is yolk yellow, but it's the outside 
of the flowers that give this species its character. The back of the outer 3 tepals are are tinged 
gray-olive-mauve, and the back of the 3 inner tepals are lightly striped with green and blue. The
flowers are deliciously scented. Here are three views showing the flowers from above, and side 
views to illustrate the outer petal markings. In these photos, the broad shoots of coarse 
green foliage is that of T. bakeri, a species that invariably gets mixed up in the bulb
bins where Holland bulbs are sold.  T. polychroma has 2 - 3 refined linear gray leaves.

Tulipa polychroma is a member of the Biflores section of Tulipa, and is closely related
to both T. biflora and T. turkestanica, all being central Asian species.  Another member
of the Biflores section is the unique and showy T. tarda.

Photos by Mark McDonough

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