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Key characteristics

Family: Liliaceae
Height: 6 to 10 in
Width: 6 to 9 in
Flower color: Rosy pink to pale lilac with yellow basal blotches (often edged with white)
Foliage color: Glossy green, long narrow leaves
Bloom time: Mid spring
Light: Full sun
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low, allow flowers to die back naturally
Growing zone: USDA zones 3 to 8
Wildlife: Occasional visits from bees

Bulbs

Tulipa saxatilis

Candia Tulip

Tulipa saxatilis sends up narrow, glossy green leaves and rosy pink to lilac-purple flowers with a bright yellow center often edged in pale white. On sunny days, blooms open wider into a starry outline, and the flowers can be lightly fragrant. Stems may carry a single bloom or a small cluster, giving planted groups a soft, airy look.

A species tulip, it bears pointed, cup-shaped blossoms that open broadly, flowering in mid to late spring.

Light

Full sun

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Mid spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Borders
Sun Gardens
Woodland Gardens
Rock Gardens
Containers

Companion plants

Asters · Grape hyacinths · Black-eyed Susans · Daylilies · Lavender · Coreopsis

Design tip

The early flowers arrive when the garden is still waking up, so give it a spot you pass often in spring. Drift them in uneven groups for a natural look, and interplant with perennials that fill the gap after the leaves die back.