simple, Strong, & sturdy- my top 5 favorite single tulips for packing and shipping
At Little Farmhouse Flowers we grow, pack and ship a lot of tulips. We send them to florists all over the country. Over the past couple of years- I’ve handled hundreds of thousands of tulips and tulip bulbs. When you handle something that often you start to notice the slight nuances between each variety. When we are packing and shipping thousands of tulips every week these little "nuances” like ease of harvest, ease of bunching, and sturdiness of the stems all play a huge role in efficiency. Like many aspects of farming- efficiency is key with this kind of stuff.
Here are my top five favorite single tulips in alphabetical order.
Ad Rem
Ad-Rem is one of my very favorite tulips. The color is difficult to describe. When it is in bud form, it is easy to confuse with another one of my favorites- Delta Storm. The buds are somewhat orange but also have fluorescent red undertones. Ad-Rem stands above the rest with extra long thick stems and makes a statement in a vase. When this tulip opens, it is bright orangey- red with a slight yellow edge. A definite show stopper- Ad-Rem has the unique characteristic of having petals that sometimes balloon and poof up when the tulip opens. It’s really beautiful and incredibly interesting.
Alibi
Alibi is my favorite lavender-colored tulip, by far. This tulip has proven to be incredibly healthy and reliable. The stems are strong and straight- and oftentimes have two (or more!) buds. Even with the extra heads, the stems are incredibly uniform, making them easy to grab from buckets and place into bunches.
Barcelona
This gorgeous magenta-pink tulip is always one of my favorites when it starts being harvested. It’s so simple and hardy but opens up to reveal a delicate and dainty white and yellow center- which we don’t see very often. This tulip is easy to grab and bunch and always has nice long stems. This past season we saw quite a bit of breaking virus in Barcelona. But- that’s one of the reasons why I love it too- always something new and interesting to see.
Delta Storm
Delta Storm is a simple orange tulip that always makes a statement. The stems are tall, thick, and rigid with sturdy buds that allow it to be harvested, processed and bunched incredibly easily.
Mango Charm
Last but certainly not least, mango charm is the only bicolor single tulip on this list. When harvested at the correct stage, the buds are almost entirely green with the slightest variegation of yellow. But, when this tulip matures and opens- it puts on a beautiful show. The base of the petals are a beautiful light peach/soft orange that fades into a light yellow. Mango charm has a uniform reliable growth habit. While the stems aren’t the thickest, they are sturdy and uniform- making the stems ideal for packing and shipping.
What are your favorite single tulips and why? Or do you have any questions about these varieties? Let us know in the comments below!
-Karissa
