Orca Tulips
Specifications
When you read “orca,” you think black and white, but the tulip that bears this name makes double orange flowers. (Another case where orange is the new black?) The petal-filled blooms glow in soft light, and on a clear spring day, they radiate with an intensity that rivals that of the sun. Orca looks great with other mid bloomers. Especially effective with a purple companion. Available in bags of 100 only.
| Item # | 1084 |
| Height | 12—14 inches |
| Sunlight | Full (6+ hours sun per day) |
| Soil | Well drained |
| Flower Color | Orange |
| Bulb Size |
12cm+ ?
Bulb size is determined by the circumference around the largest part of the bulb. Colorblends only delivers top size bulbs. Large bulbs produce more or larger flowers than small bulbs.
|
| USDA Zones |
3a—8b ?
Hardy in USDA zones 3a to 8b in the South or 10b on the West Coast. Prechill in zones 7b and warmer in the South, Southwest, and California.
|
| Bloom Time | Mid |
- early
- mid
- late
Delivery & Planting Times
Spring-flowering bulbs must be planted in the fall. They need cool soil to make roots before the onset of winter. Cool fall weather arrives at different times from north to south and from high elevations to low.
Please note that the temperature of the soil lags behind the air temperature. You can generally plant later than the windows provided in this map. As long as the ground is not frozen, you can still plant.
Orca Tulips
When you read “orca,” you think black and white, but the tulip that bears this name makes double orange flowers. (Another case where orange is the new black?) The petal-filled blooms glow in soft light, and on a clear spring day, they radiate with an intensity that rivals that of the sun. Orca looks great with other mid bloomers. Especially effective with a purple companion. Available in bags of 100 only.
| Item # | 1084 |
| Height | 12—14 inches |
| Sunlight | Full (6+ hours sun per day) |
| Soil | Well drained |
| Flower Color | Orange |
| Bulb Size |
12cm+ ?
Bulb size is determined by the circumference around the largest part of the bulb. Colorblends only delivers top size bulbs. Large bulbs produce more or larger flowers than small bulbs.
|
| USDA Zones |
3a—8b ?
Hardy in USDA zones 3a to 8b in the South or 10b on the West Coast. Prechill in zones 7b and warmer in the South, Southwest, and California.
|
| Bloom Time | Mid |
- early
- mid
- late
Sorry, Orca Tulips is not available.
When to Plant
Spring-flowering bulbs must be planted in the fall. They need cool soil to make roots before the onset of winter. Cool fall weather arrives at different times from north to south and from high elevations to low.
Please note that the temperature of the soil lags behind the air temperature. You can generally plant later than the windows provided in this map. As long as the ground is not frozen, you can still plant.
Planting Instructions
Tulips perform best in full sun but will tolerate a bit of shade (some afternoon shade will prolong flower life, especially in the South). They require well-drained soil. Treat tulips as annuals if you want a perfect display: After they flower, lift and discard the bulbs and replant fresh ones in the fall. In a less formal situation, you can leave the bulbs in place. The flowers will be uneven in size and height and generally much fewer in number, but that can have its own charm.
To encourage tulips to bloom again in future years we recommend that you:
- Remove the spent flowers as soon as the bulbs finish blooming. Snapping off the top 3 inches of the flower stem prevents seed formation and focuses energy instead on bulb growth.
- Allow the foliage to wither completely before you remove it.
- Avoid summer irrigation. Tulips prefer to be dry during their dormancy.
| Depth of Planting Hole | 5 inches |
| Spacing | 4 inches apart |
Planting Instructions
Tulips perform best in full sun but will tolerate a bit of shade (some afternoon shade will prolong flower life, especially in the South). They require well-drained soil. Treat tulips as annuals if you want a perfect display: After they flower, lift and discard the bulbs and replant fresh ones in the fall. In a less formal situation, you can leave the bulbs in place. The flowers will be uneven in size and height and generally much fewer in number, but that can have its own charm.
To encourage tulips to bloom again in future years we recommend that you:
- Remove the spent flowers as soon as the bulbs finish blooming. Snapping off the top 3 inches of the flower stem prevents seed formation and focuses energy instead on bulb growth.
- Allow the foliage to wither completely before you remove it.
- Avoid summer irrigation. Tulips prefer to be dry during their dormancy.
| Depth of Planting Hole | 5 inches |
| Spacing | 4 inches apart |
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