Tulip Queen of Night

Tulip Queen of Night – is an iconic tulip. It is the nearest to black in a tulip you will get. It is actually deep maroon however in different lights you get many different effects. The slight frosting on the outer petals gives a sheen of lilac, but when the sun shines through them you can see the deepest reds. A single late tulip means it will be one of the later flowering tulips in a single goblet shape. All tulips react to the temperature and light. They will be tightly closed in the cold spring mornings but once the sun hits, open out in to a large cup shape. Like most late tulips it will grow up to 60cm high. Which makes them perfect for cut flowers.

Flowering in May try pairing with other single late tulips such as the orangey/peach Tulip Menton or the pure white Tulip Clearwater. You can also pair with other late flowering tulips such as parrots, lily flowering and fringed tulips. There isn’t much it won’t go well with but still makes a very impressive show planted in bulk on its own.

Tulip Black Hero is the Double Tulip version of Queen of Night.

How to plant

Plant any time between September and December. It is recommended to plant after the first frost when the soil is cooler to reduce the impact of any diseases or rotting. Cultivated bulbs are rigorously checked and it is rare for them to carry diseases even though pesticides have been banned in their development for many years. You can plant as late as January.

Our guide recommends planting at around 10cm deep and 60-70 per square metre. This is only a guide. You can plant a little deeper to hide from squirrels and you can squeeze more in if you want a more densely packed display (in pots for example). You can watch a quick video here

Tulip Queen of Night enjoy full sun but cope very well in semi shade. They like moist free draining soil of any type. Over winter it is important that they don’t get too much water and are not allowed to dry out. This will impair the flower when it comes to May.

If you are planting in pots make sure you use a good soil with drainage at the bottom. Peat free compost alone can be difficult to maintain the right moisture levels. Mix in grit, topsoil and fertile compost. Use a large pot because tulips produce a lot of roots. The larger the post the easier it is for the soil to retain moisture and drain freely.

As one of our biggest sellers, Tulip Queen of Night is available in bulk. Contact us at info@gee-tee.co.uk for more information.