SKU: 00840369421944 25 Rembrandt Style Grand Perfection Tulip (Tulipa gesneriana 'Grand Perfection') Bulbs

Plant Features & Growing Information

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

• Mature Size: Typically grows approximately 16–20 inches tall, with a narrow, upright habit. Exact height varies somewhat according to climate and growing conditions.

• Bloom Color: Flowers initially open soft buttery yellow to pale creamy yellow with dramatic crimson-red to burgundy-red flames and streaks. As the blossoms mature, the yellow background gradually fades toward creamy ivory or white while the ruby-red markings remain prominent.

• Color-Changing Flowers: One of Grand Perfection's most distinctive characteristics is its changing background color. Newly opened and mature blossoms can therefore display noticeably different combinations of yellow, ivory, white, crimson, and burgundy within the same planting.

• Rembrandt-Style Pattern: The petals display irregular flames, streaks, feathers, and brushstroke-like markings reminiscent of the famous broken tulips depicted in 17th-century Dutch paintings.

• Healthy Modern Coloration: Unlike historical broken tulips, Grand Perfection's dramatic markings are a stable cultivar characteristic and are not dependent upon Tulip Breaking Virus.

• Flower Form: Produces elegant single, cup- to goblet-shaped flowers characteristic of Triumph Tulips. Individual flowers can display slightly different flame patterns.

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

• Fragrance: Light to mild at most. Some growers describe Grand Perfection as lightly or sweetly fragrant, but scent intensity can vary and the cultivar is primarily grown for its extraordinary coloration rather than fragrance.

• Foliage: Produces broad, lance-shaped green to glaucous-green leaves that naturally yellow and disappear as the bulb enters summer dormancy.

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

• Culinary Uses: Not recommended for consumption. Grand Perfection is an ornamental tulip. Flowers, leaves, bulbs, and seeds should not be used for food, beverages, garnishes, or seasoning.

• Medicinal Uses: Grand Perfection Tulip has no established safe medicinal applications. Tulips contain naturally occurring compounds capable of irritating the skin and digestive system and should not be used in homemade herbal remedies.

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

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

• Handling Precautions: Wear gloves when planting or handling large quantities of bulbs, particularly if you have sensitive skin. Wash hands after planting and keep unplanted bulbs away from children and pets.

• Deer Resistance: Poor. Deer commonly browse tulip foliage, buds, and flowers.

• 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 tulip bulbs.

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

• Pest Resistance: Generally easy to grow but may occasionally experience aphids, slugs, snails, and stem or bulb nematodes. Squirrels and other bulb-eating wildlife may present a greater problem than insect pests.

• Disease Concerns: Tulips can be affected by tulip fire, Botrytis, bulb rot, and tulip viruses. Plant healthy bulbs in well-drained soil and remove obviously diseased plants.

• USDA Planting Zones: Generally recommended for USDA Zones 3–7 as a perennial bulb. It can also be grown as a spring annual in warmer regions where adequate winter chilling is provided.

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

• Wind Protection: The strong stems characteristic of Triumph Tulips provide good support, but a site protected from severe spring winds helps keep the tall flowers looking their best.

• Drought Tolerance: Moderate during summer dormancy but relatively low during active spring growth. Maintain moderate moisture while leaves and flowers are developing, then allow considerably drier conditions once foliage has died back.

• Soil Preferences: Prefers fertile, loose, well-drained soil. Sandy loam is excellent. Heavy or poorly drained soil should be improved before planting because prolonged moisture around dormant bulbs encourages rot.

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

• Perennializing Ability: Variable. Grand Perfection can return for additional seasons under favorable conditions, but like many highly bred Triumph Tulips, flowering may become less impressive over time. Planting fresh bulbs periodically provides the most dependable large-flowered display.

• Cut Flower Uses: Excellent. Grand Perfection's long, sturdy stems and individually patterned blossoms make it a spectacular cut flower. The changing colors become particularly noticeable when several flowers are displayed together in a vase.

• Container Growing: Excellent for spring containers and patio planters as long as containers provide sufficient depth and excellent drainage.

• Landscape Uses: Outstanding for cottage gardens, formal flower beds, cutting gardens, mixed borders, mass plantings, historical-style gardens, spring containers, and underplanting deciduous shrubs or roses.

When & How to Prune

• Deadheading: Remove spent flower heads after blooming. This prevents unnecessary energy from being directed toward seed production.

• After Flowering: Cut off the faded flower while retaining the healthy green stem and foliage.

• Leave the Foliage: Do not remove green leaves immediately after flowering. The foliage continues photosynthesizing and transferring carbohydrates back into the bulb.

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

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

• Do Not Braid Leaves: Avoid braiding, tying, or bundling tulip foliage. Keeping leaves exposed to sunlight helps bulbs store maximum energy for future growth.

Planting Instructions from Bulbs into the Ground

• Best Planting Time: Plant Grand Perfection Tulip bulbs during fall, generally from October through November or until the ground begins to freeze.

• Wait for Cool Soil: Tulips establish best after soil temperatures have cooled. A soil temperature around 55°F or below is a useful planting guideline.

• Choose the Location: Select a site receiving full sun to light partial shade with excellent drainage. A location sheltered from severe winds is beneficial.

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

• Improve Drainage: Amend dense or heavy soil if necessary or plant bulbs in raised beds. Tulips perform poorly in locations where water remains around the bulbs.

• Planting Depth: Plant bulbs approximately 6 inches deep, with 6–8 inches appropriate in colder climates or loose soils. Measure depth from the soil surface to the base of the bulb.

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

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

• Plant in Groups: For maximum visual impact, plant Grand Perfection in groups of 10–20 or more bulbs. Large groupings beautifully showcase the natural variation in each flower's flame pattern.

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

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

• Fall & Winter Watering: Natural rainfall is generally sufficient. Provide supplemental moisture during unusually dry weather, but avoid constantly saturated soil.

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

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

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

Warm-Climate Planting

• Winter Chilling: Grand Perfection requires an extended period of cold temperatures to develop and flower properly.

• Zones 8–10: In mild-winter climates, bulbs generally perform best when pre-chilled before planting and treated primarily as annual spring flowers.

• Planting Time in Warm Regions: Plant chilled bulbs during late fall or early winter once outdoor temperatures have cooled.

• Pre-Chilling: Where necessary, refrigerate bulbs for approximately 8–12 weeks before planting, following supplier recommendations.

• Keep Away from Fruit: Never refrigerate tulip bulbs alongside apples, bananas, pears, peaches, or other ripening fruit. Ethylene gas released by fruit can damage developing flower buds.

Overwintering & Seasonal Care

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

• Winter: Bulbs remain underground, developing roots and receiving the chilling temperatures necessary to initiate spring flowers.

• Early Spring: Broad green to gray-green foliage begins emerging as temperatures warm.

• Mid-Spring: Flower buds appear and begin opening with pale yellow backgrounds dramatically streaked with red.

• As Flowers Mature: The yellow background gradually fades toward creamy ivory-white while the crimson and ruby-red flames remain prominent, creating the cultivar's signature transformation.

• After Flowering: Deadhead faded flowers but retain healthy green foliage.

• Late Spring/Early Summer: Allow leaves to naturally yellow and die back before removing them.

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

• Following Fall: Healthy bulbs may remain in the ground for another flowering cycle where climate and drainage are suitable.

Additional Growing Tips

Grand Perfection looks spectacular alongside deep burgundy tulips, creamy-white varieties, solid red tulips, blue Muscari, white daffodils, purple alliums, and forget-me-nots. Its changing colors allow it to coordinate with an unusually broad range of spring flowers.

For the strongest visual impact, plant Grand Perfection in generous groups. Because every flower develops a slightly different pattern of red flames, mass plantings create a fascinating tapestry rather than a completely uniform block of color.

Historical Style Tip: Grand Perfection is an excellent choice for gardens inspired by historic Dutch tulips. Its flame-like pattern was bred to imitate the coveted “broken” tulips depicted in paintings from the Dutch Golden Age—but without intentionally infecting the plant with the damaging virus responsible for those historical patterns.

Color-Changing Tip: Do not be surprised if newly opened flowers look significantly more yellow than older blossoms. The pale background naturally transitions toward ivory-white as the flower matures.

Cut Flower Tip: Harvest when the buds are fully colored but have not completely opened. As the flowers continue opening indoors, their distinctive flame patterns and changing background colors become increasingly apparent.

Perennializing Tip: To encourage repeat flowering, deadhead promptly, allow foliage to completely yellow before removal, 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.