Most people think of tulips and immediately think of springtime and gardens full of blooming flowers. Thanks to recombination and careful breeding, tulip bulbs for sale can now be found in a wide range of sizes, colors, and forms and can be grown indoors.

The ice cream tulip is a newer type that has caught the attention of flower enthusiasts. It is a double late tulip with a deep pink base and white tips, named for its resemblance to a cone of vanilla ice cream. It blooms later in the spring than other tulips and may survive in Zones 3 to 8 with the same simple maintenance as other tulips. There is an even greater ice cream sensation just after the bloom opens.

The white petals of the majority of ice cream tulips will expand even further, like the fanning out of a peony. One flower may give the impression of two different styles. Let’s explore these beautiful tulip bulbs more closely.

Do Ice Cream Tulips Actually Exist?

Indeed, ice cream tulips exist, and they’re gorgeous. Vertuco BV, a flower breeding firm, produced them in 1999. These tulips are called Tulipa ‘Ice Cream’ in their botanical incarnation. Though the ice cream cone shape wasn’t planned, it turned out to be a pleasant accident. Green and pink are used for the outer “cone” petals.

As the inner petals unfold from the “cone,” they are white. As the “vanilla” petals unfold, the soft pink and yellow coloring at their bases becomes more apparent. Deep pink and white may have been the first choice for a color scheme, but it isn’t the only option. Ice Cream Banana, which has a similar deep pink base but vivid yellow “ice cream” petals, is now available. The relatively new Tulipa ‘Ice Cream Strawberry’ shares the same pattern as the previous ice cream tulip bulbs, but its outer petals are a vibrant pink instead of white.

How to Grow Ice Cream Tulips?

Like other double-late tulip types, ice cream tulips often bloom in springtime. Since they frequently do not return the following year, most growers treat these flowers as annuals. You may plant ice cream tulips in the autumn.

The bulbs must be planted before the soil cools and solidifies. This type requires a cold period to bloom after the weather warms up during the spring. Wherever you decide to grow your tulip bulbs, make sure they get enough sunlight. Plant the light bulbs at a distance of 3 to 6 inches and dig them 6 to 12 inches underground. The bulb’s pointed end must be directed upwards.

Soil with a pH of between 6.0 and 6.5 and good drainage is ideal for growing ice cream tulips. Mixing peat moss into thick clay soil is recommended to improve drainage. Moreover, ice cream tulips need at least half a day in direct sunlight. Many gardeners, though, claim that their flowers fail to bloom unless they are placed in direct sunlight.

Final Words

Grow your very own ice cream tulips now that you know everything about these delectable-looking flowers. Be ready to envy the neighborhood this spring.