Plant tulip bulbs from October to mid-December, once the weather has cooled. Until then, store them somewhere cool, dry and safely away from mice and squirrels.
'Couleur Cardinal'
Clutch onto a classic and you can’t go far wrong. Tulip 'Couleur Cardinal' has been around for a long time (since 1845 to be precise) and there’s a very good reason for that. Why change something which just works so beautifully? It’s not just a red tulip, take a closer look and you’ll see it has an alluring plummy purple undertone. This heirloom Triumph tulip excels in every way—great colour, strong stems, long-lasting blooms, reliable… there’s no way it could get any better!
There are two particularly notable features about Tulip 'Couleur Cardinal'. Firstly, it has relatively short stems which means it’s sturdy. This gives it an upright, formal appearance and also makes it useful for more exposed areas or pots. Secondly, it flowers quite early in the season. Typically blooming from early April, it can kickstart the tulip season with a fantastic shock of colour, right on cue. Combine Tulip 'Couleur Cardinal' with later flowering varieties and you’ll enjoy an extended season which starts as soon as possible and evolves as the season continues.
Quantity
Plant profile
Plant calendar
Choose full sun or partial shade. Improve heavy soil with organic matter and horticultural grit. For containers, use peat-free multipurpose compost with good drainage.
Plant bulbs pointed side upwards, 15–20cm deep and around 10cm apart. You can leave a little more space between them in borders.
Water once after planting to settle the soil. Border-grown tulips rarely need further watering, but containers should be kept lightly moist and never waterlogged.
Remove faded flowers, then allow the foliage to yellow and die back naturally. This helps the bulbs store energy for the following year.
- Botanical name
- Tulipa 'Couleur Cardinal'
- Tulip group
- Triumph (3)
- Flower colour
- Red
- Bulb size
- 12/+
- Established height
- 30-50cm
- Established spread
- 10-20cm
- Growing skill
- Easy to grow
- Habit
- Upright
- Hardiness
- Fully hardy
- Leaf colour
- Green
- Mouse resistant
- No
- Plant spacing
- 60 bulbs per m2
- Pollinator friendly
- No
- Position
- Sheltered
- Rabbit resistant
- No
- Scented
- No
- Soil acidity
- Any
- Soil moisture
- Free draining
- Soil type
-
Loam
Sandy
Stony
Multipurpose compost
Loam-based compost - Suitable for
-
Pots
Large containers
Borders
Cottage gardens
Low maintenance gardens
Cut flower gardens - Sunlight
-
Full sun
Partial shade - Toxicity
-
Harmful if eaten
Skin/eyes irritant - Years to establish
- 1st year
Expert care from
choice to delivery
Our horticulturalists prepare every bulb and plant with the utmost care. From selection to packing, each one receives expert attention before beginning its journey to your garden.