Unique and Rare Ice Cream Tulips are a Flower Gardener’s Dream

If you love flowers, you probably know what tulips are. While most people associate The Netherlands (Holland) with tulips, the fact is, this beautiful flower actually grew wild in the Tian Shan Mountain valleys and was cultivated as early as 1055 in Constantinople. The tulip was very prized and became a symbol for the Ottoman Empire. Originally, tulips were found stretching from Central Asia to Southern Europe. Since the 1600s, tulips have been widely cultivated and naturalized, and in their natural state, they’re well adapted to mountainous areas and steppes that have temperate climates.

Where does the name tulip even come from? Flower experts and etymologists (word experts) think that the word comes from the Persian word for a turban because the flowers somewhat resemble turbans. Tulips became so popular that there was actually a “Tulip Mania,” where the prices for certain bulbs reached very high levels before dramatically collapsing in 1637. During this era, tulips were depicted often in Dutch Golden Age paintings and for this reason, they’ve become associated with the Netherlands. Since then, the Netherlands has been the primary producer for world tulip markets.

Well, there’s a tulip out there that is worthy of bringing back a new Tulip Mania and it’s the Ice Cream Tulip. Ice Cream Tulips are incredibly rare and unique and actually feature a double tulip of sorts. The outer leaves are deep pink and the inside leaves are white like ice cream, hence their catchy moniker. Typical tulips have six petals and a double tulip has at least twice that number.

Ice Cream Tulips are perfect for containers and the border areas of your flower bed. Since they have full blooms, they need sunny and pleasant weather for half the day, and the protection provided by cover and shade at night.

They don’t do well when they’re exposed to heavy rains and strong winds, it seems. What’s even more awesome is that they come in a variety of colors and shapes.

These gorgeous flowers can grow up to 16-inches tall, and they bloom in late spring from April to early May. As for soil, these tulips like well-drained soil and also do well in clay soil or sandy loam. Their ideal pH for the soil is between 6.0 and 6.5.

The Amsterdam Tulip Museum says the following about Ice Cream Tulips.

Who else thinks we need another Tulip Mania? I’m in! You can buy these tulips at online floral retailers.