SKU: 00840369421562 10 Mount Tacoma Peony Style Tulip Bulbs

• Growth Habit: Upright, clump-forming bulbous perennial belonging to the Double Late group of tulips. Each bulb develops broad blue-green foliage followed by sturdy flowering stems carrying exceptionally full blooms.
• Bloom Color: Beautiful pure white to creamy or ivory-white flowers. Slight variations in color can occur as the densely layered flowers open and mature.
• Bloom Form: Large, fully double peony-style flowers packed with overlapping petals. The rounded, substantial blooms look more like small peonies than traditional single tulips.
• Bloom Season: Typically flowers in late spring, making Mount Tacoma an excellent variety for extending the tulip season after many earlier varieties have finished blooming.
• Fragrance: Flowers may have a light, subtle fragrance, although Mount Tacoma is primarily grown for its impressive double flowers rather than strong perfume.
• Fruit Flavor: None. Tulips can develop dry seed capsules following pollination, but these are not edible fruits and have no culinary value.
• Culinary Uses: Not recommended for culinary use. Tulips contain irritating compounds and should be treated as ornamental plants rather than food crops. Although tulip bulbs have historically been consumed during extreme food shortages, garden tulips should not be considered edible.
• Medicinal Uses: Tulips have no established role as a home medicinal herb. Certain compounds found within Tulipa species have been investigated scientifically, but Mount Tacoma should not be used for homemade medicinal preparations or self-treatment.
• Possible Toxicity to Pets or Humans: Toxic if ingested, especially the bulbs. Tulips contain compounds known as tuliposides and tulipalins. Ingestion can cause drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, gastrointestinal irritation, and other symptoms in cats, dogs, and other animals. Frequent handling of bulbs may also cause skin irritation or dermatitis in sensitive individuals. Keep unplanted bulbs away from pets and children.
• Wildlife & Pest Resistance: Flowers may be visited by bees and other spring pollinators, but tulips are not considered reliably deer- or rabbit-resistant. Deer and rabbits may browse flowers and foliage, while squirrels, chipmunks, voles, and other rodents may dig up or eat bulbs. Potential problems include aphids, slugs, snails, bulb rot, tulip fire, and viral diseases.
• Planting Zone: Generally suitable for USDA Zones 3–8. Tulips require a period of winter chilling for proper flower development, so bulbs grown in very mild climates may require artificial pre-chilling before planting.
• Sun Preferences: Prefers full sun to partial shade, ideally receiving approximately 6 or more hours of direct sunlight per day during active spring growth.
• Soil Preferences: Performs best in fertile, loose, well-drained soil. Excellent drainage is particularly important during winter and summer dormancy because bulbs may rot in persistently wet conditions.
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate during dormancy. Plants benefit from consistent moisture while actively growing and flowering but prefer relatively dry conditions once the foliage has died back and the bulbs enter summer dormancy.
• Mature Size: Typically reaches approximately 16–20 inches tall, with an individual bulb occupying roughly 4–6 inches of garden space. Grouped plantings create a much fuller display.

When and How to Prune

• Mount Tacoma Tulips require very little traditional pruning.
• Remove faded flowers after blooming if seed production is not desired.
• Cut spent flower heads or flower stems back while leaving all healthy green foliage intact.
• Do not cut the leaves back immediately after flowering. The foliage continues photosynthesizing and replenishing energy reserves within the bulb.
• Allow leaves to naturally turn yellow and brown, generally several weeks after flowering.
• Once the foliage has completely yellowed and begins pulling away easily, cut or remove it near soil level.
• Avoid tying, braiding, folding, or otherwise restricting green foliage after flowering, as this reduces its ability to gather sunlight.
• Remove diseased or badly damaged foliage promptly and dispose of it away from healthy tulip plantings.

Planting Instructions (Bulbs into the Ground)

1. Plant Mount Tacoma Tulip bulbs in fall, ideally approximately 6–8 weeks before the ground normally freezes.
2. Choose a planting location receiving full sun to partial shade. Full sun generally encourages the strongest stems and best flowering.
3. Make sure the site has excellent drainage. Avoid low areas where water collects after rainfall.
4. Loosen compacted soil before planting and incorporate compost or organic matter if needed to improve soil structure.
5. Dig individual holes or prepare a larger planting area approximately 6–8 inches deep, measured from the soil surface to the bottom of the bulb.
6. Position each bulb with the pointed end facing upward and the broad basal plate facing downward.
7. Space bulbs approximately 4–6 inches apart.
8. For the most impressive effect, plant Mount Tacoma in groups of 5–10 or more bulbs rather than scattering individual bulbs throughout the garden.
9. Cover the bulbs with soil and gently firm the planting area.
10. Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil and encourage fall root development.
11. Apply approximately 2–3 inches of mulch after the soil has cooled in colder regions to help moderate temperature fluctuations.
12. During spring growth, provide supplemental water if natural rainfall is insufficient.
13. Avoid excessive watering after the foliage begins yellowing and the bulbs enter dormancy.
14. Because the exceptionally full double flowers can become heavy after rain, planting in a location protected from strong winds and severe storms can help keep stems upright and flowers attractive.

Overwintering Steps

• Mount Tacoma Tulips require a period of cold winter dormancy to develop flowers properly.
• In USDA Zones 3–7, bulbs can generally remain in the ground throughout winter when planted at the appropriate depth in well-drained soil.
• Apply approximately 2–3 inches of mulch after the soil becomes cold where repeated freezing and thawing is common.
• Avoid excessive winter irrigation, as cold, saturated soil can cause bulb rot.
• In warm climates without sufficient natural winter chilling, bulbs may need to be pre-chilled before planting.
• Keep artificially chilled bulbs away from ripening apples, bananas, pears, and other fruit that produces ethylene gas, which can damage developing flower buds.
• Remove excessive mulch in spring as new shoots emerge.
• Protect emerging foliage and flower buds from deer, rabbits, and other browsing animals when necessary.

Encouraging Mount Tacoma Tulips to Return

Mount Tacoma is a Double Late Tulip, and while bulbs can return for additional seasons, flowering may become smaller or less dependable over time compared with the spectacular first-year display.

For the best chance of repeat flowering, plant bulbs in a sunny location with excellent drainage and allow the foliage to remain completely intact after flowering until it naturally yellows.

Deadhead spent flowers so the plant does not expend unnecessary energy producing seeds. Avoid excessive irrigation during summer dormancy, as tulip bulbs generally perform best when conditions become relatively dry after the foliage disappears.

A bulb fertilizer can be applied according to label directions as shoots emerge in spring and again after flowering if the bulbs will remain in the garden.

Where a consistently full, uniform display is important, Mount Tacoma can also be treated as an annual tulip, with fresh bulbs planted each fall.

With its luxurious white peony-style flowers, densely layered petals, and elegant late-spring appearance, Mount Tacoma Tulip is an exceptional choice for formal gardens, cottage borders, cutting gardens, and mass bulb plantings. Pair it with pink, purple, burgundy, or pastel tulips for contrast, or plant Mount Tacoma in generous groups for a sophisticated sweep of brilliant white flowers that provides a beautiful finale to the spring tulip season.