Why do tulips bloom early?
Whether in the ground or in a vase on your table, they are one of the most coveted types of flowers.
Tulip season is just beginning in Minnesota, a sign of incoming warmth. But why are tulips some of the first spring flowers to bloom?
"Tulips are the first major color event in the spring, and people just love them, and they get so excited," said Duane Otto, a Horticulturist at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
Tulips originated in Asia and were taken to Holland where they're now a big part of the economy. They start blooming there in Mid-March.
"They just make us feel happy," said Amy Vang who was strolling through the Landscape Arboretum with her mother, Xay Yang.
"I feel like 40, almost 60, but I feel like 40 because the flowers made me look younger," said Yang.
Tulips bloom in March in Georgia, early April in Virginia, late April in Montana and late April or May in Minnesota.
Julie Weisenhorn, an extension educator in horticulture, says you can't grow tulips everywhere because you need to have a cold period. They need 17 weeks of cold before they burst into color.
"They are designed to bloom early because they go dormant. So the bulbs bloom in the spring, when they're programmed to bloom. When they're done blooming, they produce food, and then they go dormant," said Otto.
When they are in bloom, they are in demand.
"They only pop up for a short period, and then they go away. But you can catch them during that short time. It's just so worth it," said Amy.
You can catch them in an array of colors and sizes too.
They go from 4 inches in height to 30 inches. The taller the plant, the later the bloom.
"The flowers are unique because the sun shines through it. Sometimes when you look at it, it looks like little stained glass," said Otto.
Tulips are fragile. If they get hit by hail or it gets to warm to fast, they won't last.
The Arboretum says so far this year, crop looks strong and they believe the garden will be bursting with color by Mother's Day.
