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Physical Description
A tulip plant has two or three thick, bluish-green leaves that grow in a cluster from the base of the plant. The flowers have three petals and three sepals, and there are six free stamens and a three-lobed ovary, which is terminated by a sessile three-lobed stigma. The fruit is a seed capsule that contains many seeds, but most varieties can only be propagated from the scaly bulb of the tulip plant. Tulip bulbs can be harvested after flowering and replanted next season, or they can be left in the ground to re-grow naturally.
Tulip Colors
Tulips come in most colors except for the truest blue. Colors range from the purest white through all shades of yellow, reds and browns, and there are also deep purple varieties and some that are almost black. More than 4,000 varieties have been developed in horticultural centers, and varieties are named after the time of year they bloom, the shapes of the flower and the size of the plants.
Variegations
Solid-colored tulips are referred to as "self-colored," while the variegated, streaked blossoms are called "broken." The broken, variegated patterns on some tulip flowers are cause by a harmless virus, causing the self color to disappear in zonal patterns across the petals. The white or yellow underlying color of the flower appears in irregular streaks between the variegation, creating an interesting ornamental petal design.
Varieties
Apart from variations in color, tulip varieties also vary in plant size, flower size and whether they are single or double blooms. The late seasonal bloomers have the greatest diversity of colors and growth habits and include varieties such as the Darwins, breeders, cottage tulips, lily-flowered, double-late tulips and parrot types.