Tulipa acuminata ‘Fireflame Tulip’
Most of the early spring bulbs are finished. The last of the daffodils, even those which bloomed later than normal, are finished and turning brown. Tulips used in roadside beds throughout the area are done and ready to be replaced. There are a few in our front garden, however, that are still blooming. This is Tulipa acuminata ‘Fireflame Tulip’. The description on McClure and Zimmerman (http://www.mzbulb.com, where I bought them) says they are “scarlet and yellow with long, curiously twisted petals.” As you can see, mine is pure yellow. I don’t mind, though. It is still quite striking. They also say that “although classified as a species, it’s not known in the wild and is probably an ancient hybrid of garden origin.” I don’t mind that, either. It blooms considerably later than the other tulips I have and I like that about it. They are planted among some later-blooming daffodils, which probably isn’t the best idea, because they are somewhat hidden because of that. But they come back year after year, which is somewhat unusual for tulips, which are generally quite short-lived.