In culture since 1845. I've brought a few already potted bulbs home with me from my visit to Keukenhof in Lisse, Netherlands. Even the yo...Read Moreung foliage starts dark red. I've taken a few pictures days later, the foliage has become greener but is still tinged dark red. The name of this tulip 'Couleur Cardinal' (‘Dark Red Colour’ is the translation of its French name) is well chosen. A very simple, but spot-on name for this deep red tulip. In the odd 136 years that ‘Couleur Cardinal’ has been around, it has produced an impressive number of colour mutants. A mutant is a spontaneously originated (flower colour) variation. A complete line of ‘Couleur Cardinal’ colour variations has hence formed. Very important mutations in ‘Couleur Cardinal’ were the one that provided a parrot flower shape, giving rise to ‘Rococo’ (registered in 1942) and a chimera, a bi-coloured flower, that was named ‘Princess Irene’(registered in1949).
The more plants were grown of ‘Princess Irene’, the larger the chance for spontaneous mutations:
• double flower (‘Orange Princess’, 1983)
• darker flower (‘Hermitage’, 1986)
• lighter flower (‘Princess Margriet’, 1960)
• flame-less flower (‘Bright Irene’, 2000).
Update 2014. Ever since I 've planted Tulipa 'Couleur Cardinal' in 2008 in my garden it flowers every spring in my garden. The colonies increase slowly.
In culture since 1845. I've brought a few already potted bulbs home with me from my visit to Keukenhof in Lisse, Netherlands. Even the yo...Read More