In a previous article we talked about the varieties of tulips. We only saw a few but, What if we told you everything you need to know about the ballerina tulip?
He is a very curious type since his basic color is orange, but he also has some peculiarities that you should discover. Want to know more about him to have him in the garden? Well, let’s go.
How is the ballerina tulip
If you’ve never heard of the ballerina tulip before, know that it has a somewhat unknown origin., because the truth is that not much is known about why it is called that. Some theories say this was given by the movement the flowers make when the air sways them, giving the impression that they are dancing (hence ballerina = dancer).
However, there is another theory in which the reason why They are so called because they resemble an inverted skirt like that worn by dancing girls. So you can stay with the theory that you like the most because really, and that’s for sure, we don’t really know why to call it that.
Leaving that aside, the ballerina tulip is a very easy to grow plant that needs to be quite tall, with a maximum height of 60 centimeters. The leaves of this one are dark green but what strikes the most is undoubtedly its long and erect stem from which bloom orange flowers. But that’s not the most special thing about the ballerina tulip but the aroma of them.
It is said to be unusual in that it is quite pleasant and durable. Therefore, if you have it in the garden and it blooms, you may notice this scent for several days.
Its flowering period is spring, and it lasts about two months, which is a lot if you consider other plants and flowers. In general, the months you will enjoy it are April and May, or May and June. What does it depend on? Mainly the climate you have where you plant it. This means that you may find yourself flowering even later, or even earlier.
Ballerina Tulip Care
You now know more about the ballerina tulip. And as we told you, we are talking about a plant that is said to be very easy to maintain. But, Do you know exactly what care you need? Well, we’ll tell you everything so you don’t have a problem with that.
location and temperature
Like all other tulips, the ideal location for these is outdoors. In this you can put it in partial shade (if where you live it is usually very hot in summer, to the point of being suffocating) or in full sun. In both cases, it needs at least 8 hours of direct sunlight to flower and develop properly. That doesn’t mean you can’t have it inside the house. As long as you meet your needs, indoor or outdoor location will be the least.
In addition, when it is growing, to prevent it from burning, you cannot expose it to the hours of greatest incidence of the sun. But once an adult, she will have no problem supporting them.
What you need to watch out for is the wind. The petals of the ballerina tulip are very, very thin, so if the wind blows them a lot, you may find that they lose them. or appear broken and will spoil the appearance of the plant.
It will make you see that when it comes to temperature, you won’t have to worry about the heat. And with the cold the bulbs are generally protected. The only thing you need to watch out for is freezing. But if you cover the bulbs with a blanket to prevent them from getting damaged, nothing will happen (pay attention to the temperature they can acquire and to fungi and diseases).
Substrate
We have to say that You can plant it both in pots and directly in the garden. The only difference between one and the other is that you will have to be a little more careful in the pot than in the garden (especially when it comes to watering).
When using suitable soil, it is best to use a combination of universal substrate, peat and sand or perlite. In this way you cover the need of the soil to maintain humidity (who needs it), as well as that it drains well. Of course, if you have it in a pot, make sure it has holes for the water to come out.
As for when to plant the ballerina tulip, we recommend that you do it in autumn. (and more precisely in the months of October and November). It is true that it will have to be protected from the cold, but that’s good because it will prevent diseases and fungi from easily harming the plant.
Irrigation
You should know that the irrigation of the ballerina tulip is curious to say the least. The first two years, it must be watered often, keeping the soil moist and prevent it from drying out too much. But after two years, experts tell you there’s no need to water it since it feeds itself.
Now this has to be nuanced because Being in the garden, which can apply there, is not the same as being in a pot. In this case, you will have to water it, but much less than usual.
Size
As for the size, although it is not necessary, It is recommended, for example, when the flowers have already faded, to cut them to prevent them from attracting pests and diseases which endanger the bulb.
In addition, the irrigation must be controlled so that it does not end up rotting the bulb. In other words, you may run out of roots, but if the bulb is intact it will come out. But if it deteriorates, you will have lost the plant forever.
As you can see, the ballerina tulip is one of the most popular. And in a garden, this orange shade can be very beautiful unlike the green ones. Do you have this variety of tulips? Do you dare to get a copy?