Hip Hip Hooray! The Tulip Season is starting again! From January until May, this iconic flower will be visible in anything from a stylish mono bunch to being center of a lush floral composition. Join in the festivities of the heralds of spring and learn how to best care for them, because everyone loves tulips.
The Effortless Charm of Tulips
Tulips are the kind of flowers that can sneak into anyone’s heart. Whether they’re gracing your dining table or stealing the show in a bridal bouquet, tulips have that effortless charm that’s hard to beat. Their clean lines, soft petals, striking colors, and sometimes bizarre shapes make them a classic choice for florists and flower lovers alike. And with the season for tulips in full swing, it’s time to get better acquainted with this beloved cut flower—along with expert care tips to keep them looking fresh for much longer.
Why Everyone Loves Tulips
Tulips are a flower with universal appeal. Their simple yet elegant design means they work in almost any floral arrangement, from contemporary minimalism to wild garden-style bouquets. Plus, with over 3,000 varieties in nearly every color imaginable, there’s a tulip for everyone.
But these flowers aren’t just pretty faces—they’ve got personality too. They continue to grow even after they’re cut, adding movement to your arrangement as their stems stretch and bend toward the light. This quirk, called phototropism, gives your flowers a dynamic, ever-changing quality that’s like a dance on your table. Try to keep your eyes off that, can't you?
Tulip Care Tips Straight From the Fields: Buurman Toon’s Advice
Buurman Toon is a care and experience nursery in Oude Wetering, in the Bulb Region of the Netherlands. Here all flowers are still grown in a traditional way: small-scale and manually. At the nursery, volunteers with green fingers work side by side with people who are distanced from the labor market. Together they produce the most beautiful flowers with great pleasure, which are sold fresh every day.
Its grower Adri Volwater knows tulips from bulb to bloom:
"Tulips are for us the ideal expression of spring and freedom, so we want to make the bouquets that we sell at Buurman Toon as diverse as possible. For that, we try to grow as many different varieties as possible of all colors and shapes: single, double, parrot, fringed, lily-flowered, and so on."
Adri emphasizes the importance of a sharp cut for keeping tulips fresh:
“Always cut the stems diagonally with a clean knife or scissors before placing them in water. This helps tulips drink up as much water as possible—essential for their famously thirsty nature. We give Chrysal Clear Tulipa with every bouquet. Tulips are very easy, and almost always do well in a vase. Just give them clean and plenty of water, put them out of the sun, and shorten the stems every three days. Don't try too hard to position them nicely in your vase; tulips are easy but stubborn, they will find their own way."
Chrysal’s Secrets to Longer-Lasting Tulips
Chrysal’s expertise in flower care is well-known, and its tulip tips are all about getting the most life out of your blooms. They recommend using a clean vase filled with fresh water and flower food like Chrysal’s specialized packets. Tulips respond beautifully to flower food—it keeps their stems firm and their petals hydrated.
One pro tip from Chrysal: wrap your tulips loosely in paper for an hour or two before arranging them. This 'dressing' trick helps the stems stay upright and reduces any droopiness caused by transport or handling.
For florists, tulips offer endless creative possibilities. Their flexibility—literally and figuratively—means they can play both leading and supporting roles in your designs. Pair them with ranunculus for a romantic vibe, or let them shine solo in a minimalistic vase. But beware: since the tulip is well known to grow faster than other flowers in a bouquet.
To minimize this problem, Chrysal suggests you buy tulips that have been treated with Chrysal BVB & Plus (ask your grower!), which reduces the growth of the stem. A good postharvest treatment with Chrysal BVB & Plus also keeps the leaves firm and green, and keeps the stem from bending. In addition, it prolongs the vase life and improves the quality of the flowers and leaves.
And if you want to elevate your tulip game, consider innovative techniques like layering petals for a fuller look or mixing varieties with subtle color gradients. Experiment with textures and tones to make your tulips pop without overwhelming their natural beauty.
Be sure to add the right flower food to expand this flower's longevity. Florists are advised to add conditioner such as Chrysal Professional 2 to the water. This allows for a longer shelf life and ensures that the flowers develop well while preventing the flowers from opening up too much. consumers get the best results by adding a sachet of the already mentioned Chrysal Clear Tulipa to the water.
Celebrate Your Tulip Season
Tulips are more than just a seasonal favorite—they’re a flower that captures the imagination year after year. Whether you’re a florist creating dreamy arrangements or someone who simply loves having flowers at home, tulips bring joy in their purest form.
With these care tips from Buurman Toon and Chrysal, plus a little creativity of your own, you’ll have your tulips turning heads and winning hearts for days on end. So go ahead, and stock up on these spring icons—you won’t regret it.
Header and feature image by @mireilledrostephotography.
