Species Tulips

Tulipa hageri ‘Splendens’. Photographs by Lynne Harrison
Tulipa hageri reminds me of old tiles, or of the soft orange of Pompeian frescoes. The anthers are a dull plum color when the flower opens, and then they split and turn out a coat of rust-colored pollen. The bright green buds, slowly turning red, and the narrow curled leaves, are a part of the pattern.
Elizabeth Lawrence, The Little Bulbs

I know. I’m a pushover. All it took was that short passage by Elizabeth Lawrence, and I was hooked.

Searching bulb catalogs for Tulipa hageri revealed the selection ‘Splendens’, described as multi-flowering with several “coppery, brick red” flowers per stem. Twenty small bulbs could be had for less than ten dollars, so off went the order, and my adventure with species tulips began.

Describing Tulipa hageri challenges the vocabulary. To me, its tepals are a dull, Chinese lacquer red, a fine complement to the dark gray green of its leaves. In comparison, the usual springtime pinks and yellows seem unimaginative—all too willing to gain attention by their volume rather than the originality of their song.

Tulipa...