SKU: 00840369421951 25 Flaming Flag Triumph Tulip (Tulipa 'Flaming Flag')

Plant Features & Growing Information

• Growth Habit: Upright, columnar, bulbous herbaceous perennial belonging to the Triumph Tulip Group. Plants produce sturdy flowering stems surrounded by broad, lance-shaped foliage.

• Mature Size: Generally reaches approximately 16–20 inches tall, with some growing conditions producing plants slightly taller or shorter. Individual plants maintain a relatively narrow, upright spread.

• Bloom Color: Produces striking creamy-white to pure white flowers dramatically streaked, brushed, and flamed with violet-purple, plum-purple, or wine-purple markings.

• Flower Pattern: Individual blossoms can vary noticeably. Some flowers develop broad sweeps of purple while others display finer feathering and streaking, creating an attractive collection of subtly different patterns within a mass planting.

• Flower Form: Large, classic single, cup- to goblet-shaped Triumph Tulip flowers.

• Bloom Size: Flowers can reach approximately 3½–4 inches under favorable growing conditions, creating an especially impressive display.

• Bloom Time: Typically flowers during mid-spring, generally in April or early May depending on climate and seasonal temperatures.

• Fragrance: Little to no noticeable fragrance. Flaming Flag is primarily grown for its exceptional purple-and-white coloring rather than scent.

• Foliage: Produces broad, lance-shaped green to gray-green leaves that naturally decline after flowering as the bulb enters summer dormancy.

• Fruit Flavor: Not grown for edible fruit. Pollinated flowers may eventually develop dry seed capsules, but these have no desirable fruit flavor or culinary value.

• Culinary Uses: Not recommended for consumption. Flaming Flag is an ornamental tulip. Its bulbs, flowers, foliage, and seeds should not be used for food, beverages, garnishes, or seasoning.

• Medicinal Uses: Flaming Flag Tulip has no established safe medicinal applications. Tulips contain naturally occurring compounds that can irritate the skin and digestive system and should not be used in homemade herbal preparations.

• Possible Toxicity to Pets: Toxic to cats, dogs, and horses if ingested. Tulips contain irritating tulipalin compounds, with the greatest concentration occurring in the bulbs. Ingestion may cause drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and gastrointestinal discomfort.

• Possible Toxicity to Humans: Harmful if eaten, particularly the bulbs. Tulip ingestion can cause gastrointestinal upset. Repeated handling of bulbs and plant sap may also cause contact dermatitis or allergic skin reactions in sensitive individuals.

• Handling Precautions: Wearing gloves while planting is recommended, particularly when handling large quantities of bulbs. Wash hands afterward and keep unplanted bulbs away from children and pets.

• Deer Resistance: Poor. Deer commonly browse tulip foliage, flower buds, and open blossoms.

• Rabbit Resistance: Poor to moderate. Rabbits may feed on tender emerging foliage and flower stems.

• Rodent Resistance: Poor. Squirrels, chipmunks, mice, and voles may dig up and consume newly planted tulip bulbs.

• Pollinator Value: Open flowers may occasionally be visited by bees and other spring pollinators, although Flaming Flag is primarily cultivated for ornamental and cut-flower use.

• Pest Resistance: Generally easy to grow, although aphids, slugs, snails, and stem or bulb nematodes can occasionally cause problems. Squirrels and other bulb-eating wildlife are often a greater concern.

• Disease Concerns: May be susceptible to tulip fire, Botrytis, bulb rot, and tulip viruses. Healthy bulbs, excellent drainage, and good garden sanitation help reduce disease problems.

• USDA Planting Zones: Generally suitable for USDA Zones 3–8. It can also be grown as a seasonal spring bulb in warmer climates when bulbs receive adequate pre-chilling.

• Sun Preferences: Performs best in full sun, ideally receiving approximately 6 or more hours of direct sunlight daily. Light partial shade is tolerated.

• Wind Resistance: Triumph Tulips are known for relatively strong, sturdy stems, making Flaming Flag better able to withstand ordinary spring wind and rain than many more delicate tulip classes. Protection from severe storms is still beneficial.

• Drought Tolerance: Moderate during summer dormancy but relatively low during active spring growth. Provide moderate moisture while foliage and flowers are developing, then allow the soil to become considerably drier once the foliage dies back.

• Soil Preferences: Prefers fertile, loose, well-drained soil. Sandy and loamy soils are particularly suitable. Heavy clay should be improved for drainage before planting.

• Growth Rate: Rapid during spring. Dormant bulbs quickly produce foliage, stems, and flowers once temperatures begin warming.

• Perennializing Ability: Variable. Flaming Flag may return for additional seasons under favorable conditions, but Triumph Tulips generally provide their most spectacular display during their first flowering season. Fresh bulbs can be planted periodically to maintain maximum flower size and abundance.

• Cut Flower Uses: Excellent. Flaming Flag is particularly desirable as a cut flower because of its sturdy stems, traditional tulip shape, and unusual purple-flamed pattern.

• Indoor Forcing: Well suited to forcing. Triumph Tulips are commonly used for indoor forcing because of their sturdy stems and dependable flowering.

• Container Growing: Excellent for spring containers and patio planters, provided containers offer sufficient depth and excellent drainage.

• Landscape Uses: Ideal for formal flower beds, cottage gardens, cutting gardens, mixed borders, spring containers, pathway plantings, mass displays, and underplanting deciduous shrubs and roses.

When & How to Prune

• Deadheading: Remove faded flower heads once blooming has finished. This prevents the plant from directing unnecessary energy toward seed production.

• After Flowering: Cut away the spent blossom while retaining the healthy green stem and foliage.

• Leave Green Foliage: Do not remove the foliage immediately after flowering. The leaves continue photosynthesizing and replenishing the bulb's stored energy.

• Final Cutback: Wait until foliage has naturally turned completely yellow or brown, generally several weeks after flowering. It may then be cut back to ground level or gently removed.

• Remove Fallen Petals: Clear fallen petals from around the plants, particularly during damp spring weather, to help maintain good garden sanitation.

• Do Not Braid Foliage: Avoid braiding, tying, or bundling green leaves. Keeping foliage exposed to sunlight helps bulbs store the greatest amount of energy.

Planting Instructions from Bulbs into the Ground

• Best Planting Time: Plant Flaming Flag Tulip bulbs during fall, generally from October through November or until the ground freezes.

• Ideal Soil Temperature: For best results, wait until soil temperatures have cooled to approximately 55°F or below before planting.

• Choose the Location: Select a site receiving full sun to light partial shade with excellent drainage.

• Prepare the Soil: Loosen the planting area approximately 10–12 inches deep, removing weeds, rocks, and compacted soil.

• Improve Heavy Soil: Amend dense clay soil to improve drainage or plant the bulbs in raised beds. Tulips perform poorly where water remains around the bulbs for extended periods.

• Planting Depth: Plant bulbs approximately 6–8 inches deep, measured from the soil surface to the base of the bulb.

• Bulb Orientation: Place each bulb with its pointed end facing upward and the broad, flattened root plate facing downward.

• Spacing: Space bulbs approximately 4–6 inches apart.

• Plant in Groups: For maximum visual impact, plant Flaming Flag in clusters of 10–20 or more bulbs. Large groups beautifully showcase the natural variation in the purple flame pattern.

• Backfill: Cover the bulbs with loosened soil and gently firm the surface without heavily compacting it.

• Water After Planting: Water thoroughly immediately after planting to settle the soil around the bulbs and encourage fall root development.

• Fall & Winter Watering: Natural rainfall is generally sufficient. Provide supplemental water during prolonged dry periods, but never keep the soil continuously saturated.

• Mulching: Apply approximately 2–3 inches of mulch after the soil has cooled to help moderate winter temperature fluctuations and suppress weeds.

• Fertilization: In nutrient-poor soil, apply a balanced bulb fertilizer according to label instructions at planting or when shoots begin emerging in spring. Avoid excessive nitrogen.

• Protecting Bulbs from Wildlife: Where squirrels, chipmunks, mice, or voles are troublesome, protect newly planted bulbs using wire mesh or bulb cages.

Warm-Climate Planting

• Winter Chilling: Flaming Flag requires an extended period of cool temperatures for proper root development and dependable spring flowering.

• Zones 8–9: Plant later in fall after temperatures have cooled. Where winters are mild, pre-chilled bulbs may provide more reliable flowering.

• Very Warm Climates: Where adequate natural chilling does not occur, Flaming Flag is generally best treated as an annual spring bulb and replanted each season.

• Pre-Chilling: If artificial chilling is necessary, refrigerate bulbs before planting according to supplier recommendations.

• Keep Away from Ripening Fruit: Do not refrigerate tulip bulbs alongside apples, bananas, pears, peaches, or other ripening fruit. Ethylene released by fruit can damage developing flower buds inside the bulbs.

Overwintering & Seasonal Care

• Fall: Plant bulbs after soil temperatures have cooled and water thoroughly after planting.

• Winter: Bulbs remain underground while developing roots and receiving the cold temperatures required for spring flowering.

• Early Spring: Broad green to gray-green foliage emerges as temperatures begin warming.

• Mid-Spring: Sturdy stems produce large white flowers dramatically streaked and flamed with rich violet-purple.

• After Flowering: Deadhead faded flowers while retaining all healthy foliage.

• Late Spring/Early Summer: Allow foliage to naturally turn yellow and die back before removing it.

• Summer Dormancy: Once dormant, bulbs prefer warm, relatively dry soil. Excessive summer irrigation can encourage bulb rot.

• Following Fall: Healthy bulbs may remain in the ground and flower again where climate, drainage, and growing conditions are favorable.

Additional Growing Tips

Flaming Flag looks especially striking alongside solid deep-purple tulips, pure white tulips, lavender varieties, blue Muscari, white daffodils, and purple alliums. Its combination of white and purple makes it particularly useful for sophisticated two-color garden schemes.

For maximum impact, plant Flaming Flag in generous groups. Because the purple flame pattern varies from blossom to blossom, a mass planting creates a fascinating display in which no two flowers appear exactly alike.

Design Tip: Flaming Flag's dramatic markings give it a Rembrandt-style appearance, making it an excellent companion for other modern tulips bred to display streaked, feathered, or flamed petals.

Cut Flower Tip: Harvest stems once the flower buds have developed their characteristic white-and-purple coloration but before they completely open. Tulips continue to elongate after cutting and often develop graceful curves in a vase.

Weather Tip: Flaming Flag benefits from the strong stems associated with Triumph Tulips, helping the flowers stand up well during ordinary spring weather.

Perennializing Tip: To encourage bulbs to return, deadhead promptly after flowering, allow foliage to remain until completely yellow, and provide relatively dry conditions during summer dormancy.

Safety Reminder: Tulip bulbs contain the highest concentration of the plant's irritating compounds. Keep unplanted bulbs away from children and pets and wear gloves while planting.