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Tarda tulip

March 21, 2022 • Leave a Comment

As spring bulbs begin to emerge, gardeners often wish they had planted more bulbs last fall. Few “perennials” are this easy to plant, grow, and maintain. However, many bulbs do have shortcomings. Some are planted and immediately become squirrel food. Others bloom so late that gardeners have to wait a few extra weeks for the foliage to die back before annuals can be planted. And the largest concern is their failure to bloom for more than a few years in the garden. Tarda tulip may help you overcome some of these potential problems.

Every year, in late April to early May, each tarda tulip (Tulipa tarda) bulb produces 4 to 6, star-shaped flowers that are about 2 to 3 inches across. The yellow buds open almost flat, revealing bright yellow petals whose lower half is white. Unlike most of the showier hybrids of today, tarda tulip’s flower size and color lends itself to a more refined and subdued display.

Tarda tulip is one of several tulips that can be found in nature, especially if you happen to be walking around the rocky slopes of rural China. Therefore, it is referred to as a species tulip—it hasn’t been bred for bigger blooms or brighter colors. Like several other species tulips, tarda tulip is extremely hardy. Severe winters and hot summers rarely threaten its vigor. This is especially true if you can create well-drained soil that is amended with organic matter such as compost or shredded pine bark. Plant bulbs at a depth of 6 inches in full or partial sun for best results.

The other great feature of this species tulip is its ability to flower year after year after year. Many of the more popular tulip types such as parrots, doubles, single lates, etc., have exceptional flower colors and forms. These, however, rarely last for more than a few years in the garden, even with the best conditions. On the other hand, tarda tulip is a true perennial type and should last for many years with minimal or no effort.

Tarda tulip’s short, yellow and white flowers make excellent partners for slightly taller tulips. Try a rock garden tulip (Tulipa greigii) for a 10- to 12-inch background. Then use the durable blossoms of grape hyacinths as a contrasting blue, spike-shaped flower that grows to about the same six-inch height. Don’t forget spring-blooming perennial groundcovers such as creeping phlox or candytuft. These can be planted right over tarda tulip for a brilliant, double dose of color every spring.

As for the squirrels, I can offer some ideas. The most reliable deterrent is to plant your bulbs under a piece of chicken wire that is buried below the soil surface. It always is effective but can be a chore to install and is especially annoying when it gets in the way of other plantings. Repellents can also be applied to bulbs before planting. These eventually wash away, but usually succeed because bulbs are the most vulnerable for a few days after planting. The good news is that tarda tulip is one of the least expensive tulips available. So, an occasional loss to Mr. Squirrel isn’t as economically devastating as it would be with other, more costly bulbs.

In the fall, tarda tulip can be found at many garden centers alongside other species tulips. Try these true perennials in your toughest areas and take advantage of their durability and beauty. It’s likely that these little gems will outlast your other bulbs and may even spread to fill nearby open spaces. Just remember to watch out for the squirrels.

Tarda tulip

Botanical name: Tulipa tarda (TOO-lip-uh TAR-duh)
Plant type: Bulb
Plant size: 6 inches tall
Hardiness: Zone 4
Flower color: White tips & yellow centers
Flower size: 2-3 inches across, star-shaped
Bloom period: Late April to early May
Leaf color: Green
Leaf size: 5 inches long
Light: Full to part sun
Soil: Well-drained soil, amended with organic matter
Uses: Perennial border, rock garden
Companion plants: Grape hyacinths, medium height tulips (10-14 inch), spring-blooming perennial groundcovers, such as creeping phlox or candytuft.
Remarks: Species tulip; very hardy; longer-lived than the more common, hybridized tulips.

George Papadelis is the owner of Telly’s Greenhouse in Troy and Shelby Township, MI.

What are good plants to give as a wedding party favor?

March 14, 2022 • Leave a Comment

At our upcoming wedding, we want to give a seedling or plant as a wedding party favor. We need suggestions as to what tree or plants can be planted in Michigan in September. Since there will be about 500 guests, the price of each plant must be relatively low.

Congratulations on using a plant as a wedding party favor! One of the best choices for fall planting, and a Michigan native, would be a white spruce (Picea glauca) seedling. These strong conifers transplant easily, and tolerate a wide variety of soil types and sun conditions. They are used for windbreaks, lumber, and sometimes Christmas trees. They have a strong conical form and hold their limbs out horizontally. The dense branching provides shelter and food for birds and other wildlife. What a fitting long-term remembrance of your wedding.

Understanding the large quantity, you want to deal with a local wholesaler/retailer that can offer a practical price. Consider Cold Stream Farm in northwest Michigan (www.coldstreamfarm.net). Please remember that 500 seedlings will likely be prepared in bulk. You will have to separate them and individually wrap their roots in a moisture-retaining mulch and secure in a waterproof sleeve. Therefore, timing your order is important so that the seedlings are not stored indefinitely. Once received, you have approximately one week to separate, rewrap and distribute. Prepare a tag for each tree that tells guests to plant as soon as possible and the optimum soil and light conditions.

Scientists estimate there are about 9,200 undiscovered tree species

March 1, 2022 • Leave a Comment

**Coniferous mixed forest, Val Saisera, Italian Julian Alps, Italy. (Photo: Dario Di Gallo, Regional Forest Service of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy)**

University of Michigan: A new study involving more than 100 scientists from across the globe and the largest forest database yet assembled estimates that there are about 73,000 tree species on Earth, including about 9,200 species yet to be discovered.

The global estimate is about 14% higher than the current number of known tree species. Most of the undiscovered species are likely to be rare, with very low populations and limited spatial distribution, the study shows.

That makes the undiscovered species especially vulnerable to human-caused disruptions such as deforestation and climate change, according to the study authors, who say the new findings will help prioritize forest conservation efforts.

“These results highlight the vulnerability of global forest biodiversity to anthropogenic changes, particularly land use and climate, because the survival of rare taxa is disproportionately threatened by these pressures,” said University of Michigan forest ecologist Peter Reich, one of two senior authors of a paper scheduled for publication Jan. 31 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“By establishing a quantitative benchmark, this study could contribute to tree and forest conservation efforts and the future discovery of new trees and associated species in certain parts of the world,” said Reich, director of the Institute for Global Change Biology at U-M’s School for Environment and Sustainability.

For the study, the researchers combined tree abundance and occurrence data from two global datasets—one from the Global Forest Biodiversity Initiative and the other from TREECHANGE—that use ground-sourced forest-plot data. The combined databases yielded a total of 64,100 documented tree species worldwide, a total similar to a previous study that found about 60,000 tree species on the planet.

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Tarda tulip