# Garden Tulip (*Tulipa gesneriana*) Garden tulips are bright and colorful flowers that bloom in spring. They have smooth, cup-shaped petals and come in many colors like red, yellow, and pink, making gardens look cheerful and pretty. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Gardens ![Garden Tulip](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tulipa_gesneriana_001.jpg&width=800) Photo: Katalinks (who is also "Екатерина"). Original uploader was Katalinks at ru.wikipedia, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tulipa_gesneriana_001.jpg) ## Appearance The Garden Tulip has a distinctive upright, cup-shaped flower atop a smooth, sturdy stem, often showcasing vibrant reds, yellows, pinks, whites, purples, or bicolors. Its broad, lance-shaped leaves typically emerge from the base of the plant. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Liliales - **Family:** Liliaceae - **Genus:** Tulipa ## Interesting facts - Despite being famous in Holland, tulips originally came from Central Asia! - Some tulip petals can be completely black, a very rare flower color! - The stripy patterns on some tulips were once caused by a tiny virus! - Tulips caused a huge economic frenzy in 17th-century Holland! ## Special abilities - **Bulb Powerhouse:** Garden Tulips can store energy in their underground bulbs, which helps them survive harsh winters and bloom beautifully each spring. - **Petal Beacon:** Garden Tulips have brightly colored petals that act like a beacon, helping them attract busy bees and other insects for pollination. - **Underground Multiplier:** Garden Tulips can produce smaller 'daughter' bulbs from the main bulb, helping them multiply and create more flowers in the future. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-60 cm - **Spread:** 10-20 cm - **Flower Size:** 5-10 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Common eastern bumble bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Eaten by:** [Common vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-vole) (*Microtus arvalis*) — eats underground bulbs - **Eaten by:** Eastern grey squirrel (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — digs up and eats bulbs ## Traits - [Bell-Shaped Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/bell-shaped-flower): Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Domesticated](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/domesticated): Domesticated refers to species that have been selectively bred and tamed by humans for specific purposes. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Don't eat any flowers, even if they look yummy! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Garden Tulip? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Garden Tulip? 30-60 cm ### How wide does Garden Tulip spread? 10-20 cm ### How big are the flowers on Garden Tulip? 5-10 cm ### When does Garden Tulip bloom? Spring ### Is Garden Tulip edible? No ### Is Garden Tulip toxic? Mild ### What is Garden Tulip's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Observatory Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/observatory-park) — Colorado, US · Park ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Garden Tulip: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-tulip)