Tulipa Merlot Bulbs

Plant Merlot bulbs, a lily-flowered tulip, in early to mid fall, and in mid to late spring, this spring ephemeral blooms in goblet-shaped flowers with deeply cut, pointed petals. Borne singly on tall, elegant stems, the blooms have a rich, saturated purple color and make luxurious cuts for seasonal bouquets.

A Tulipa hybrid cultivar, Merlot has an upright habit. It naturalizes easily, with its sprawling clumps of narrow, linear foliage and showy blooms appearing year after year, possibly for decades in ideal conditions. Tulips are especially useful for erosion control in spring rains. Consider planting in large sweeping drifts in open woodland areas, in masses under deciduous trees, or in smaller groupings in beds and borders or in front of shrubs. Tulips mix well with ground covers and other spring-blooming bulbs but also make a great container plant and can be forced for cheery indoor blooms in winter.

Merlot, a cold hardy—to Zone 3—bulbous perennial, is easy to grow and maintain, but prefers regions with cool winters and warm, dry summers. The plant grows best in sunny locations with rich, fertile, well-draining soil but adapts to a wide range of soils, including chalk, loam, and sandy soils. It is resistant to most pests.