Certain Tulips last longer in a vase than others. Viridiflora, Fringed and Parrot tulips are especially long lasting often exceeding 10 days. Pick Tulips that are just turning from green for longest life.

Selection of Cut Flower Varieties

Estella Rijnveld with candy striped red and white flowers
Groenland a green stripped viridiflora with pink petals.
Union Jack with a large white cup touched with red.
Shirley appears cream but turns to white and matures with a hint of purple.
Queen of the Night is a late flowering dark flower almost like the infamous black tulip.
Arabian Mystery is a burgandy colour with white edged petals
There is a longer list on wholesalers web sites.

Myths and Tips

Piercing the stem of a tulip will not help the flower to stay rigid.
Putting a copper penny in the water has no effect.
Only putting a couple of inches of water in a vase is not adequate. Tulips drink all the way up the stem, the higher the water the better.
Leaves on the stem do help the Tulip flower to mature and colour up so leave leaves on.
Tulips do continue to grow after being cut, up to 2″ whilst in your vase.
If Tulips are floppy cover then totally, flower and all, in tepid water for an hour. This will condition them and firm them up.

Viridiflora tulips

 

More Sources

Cut Flower Tulip varieties

More Scented Tulip varieties

Reasons to Order Tulips