Tulip care
Tulips are alive in the vase. They keep growing after they are cut, they bend toward the light, and they shed petals on their own schedule. Cut tulips are a small ongoing event, not a static display.
Season
January–May
Vase life
Long
Sourcing
Direct from growers
Difficulty
Easy
How to care for them
Re-cut at a sharp angle. Place in a vase with shallow, cool water — tulips do not need deep water, and too much water rots the lower stem. Keep them somewhere cool. The cooler the room, the slower they grow.
Tulips keep growing in the vase, sometimes by a couple of centimetres in a day. They lean toward light, so rotate the vase a quarter turn daily for a balanced shape. Refresh the water every two days. Remove any petals that drop.
Floppy stems are normal in warm rooms and an easy fix. Wrap the whole bunch firmly in newspaper or wrapping paper from neck to stem-end. Stand in cool clean water for an hour, wrapped. Unwrap — the stems hold themselves upright.
Common questions
Because they are still alive. Tulips are one of the few cut flowers that continue to elongate after harvest. The phototropism (leaning toward light) is also active — the stems bend to follow the brightest source. It is normal and worth working with rather than against.
Wrap the whole bunch firmly in newspaper from the necks down to the stem ends. Stand the wrapped bundle in cool water for an hour. When you unwrap them, the stems are stiff and upright. They will start to lean again over the next day or two — re-wrap as needed.
They are bending toward the brightest light in the room — a window, a lamp. Rotate the vase a quarter turn each morning to even it out, or move the vase to a more centrally lit spot.
Yes — cool water is best. Tulips slow their growth and last longer in cool conditions. Cold tap water is fine. Avoid warm rooms and warm vases.
A long display with the right care: cool water, a cool room, regular refreshes. Heat shortens them noticeably. Every order is covered by our Stem freshness promise.
Yes — the bulbs especially, but also the stem and flower. Tulips can cause vomiting, drooling, and depression in pets if eaten. Keep the vase out of reach of pets that graze on plants.
Yes — if you want a tighter, more contained display, cut them back when arranging. They will keep growing from wherever you cut to, so leave room to grow into the vase.
Pairs beautifully with
