'Lilac Wonder' tulip displays soft lilac/pink petals with a strong yellow base in a combination that will take your breath away. It hasn't been as tough as the other species tulips we have tried. I suggest growing this bulb if you are located in the more northern regions of the South. However, growing them in zone eight on the farm, they continue to come up but not as vigorously as our other species tulips. Although I have my doubts about the 'Lilac Wonder' staying around for the long haul, we have definitely had four years of enjoyment and recommend you share the same experience as us.
Tulip blooms bend, move, arc and twist themselves throughout the day in order to orient themselves in the best position to receive light. They reach for it.
Blooms will last well for a couple of weeks, but an unusually hot spring will make the blooms droop. When the tulips are done blooming you may remove the flower stems, but leave the foliage alone to die back on its own. This will allow the bulb to continue to take in nutrients from the sun to last until the next blooming cycle. Once the foliage is completely withered and yellow you can mow right over the top of it.
Planting: Plant them and enjoy them. They prefer full sun but will do well with a little spring shade. Plant the bulbs about 2-3 times the height of the bulb deep and the space apart only depends on how natural you want your area to look. Unlike the large hybrid tulips, species tulips can come back year after year if they are planted correctly. Tulips like to be "high and dry," so give them a spot with excellent drainage, such as a raised bed, a slope, or a rock garden, where the bulbs won't sit in wet soil, especially during the summer.
Soil: Consider planting them in a crate where the soil can't cling to the roots and the rain water can be absorbed elsewhere. Not only will a crate help protect tulips from rot and help them to perennialize, but critters like voles can't get to them. Don't use "improved" garden soils or place the bulbs in an irrigated area.
For more information on tulips in the South and what you can do to help them survive, please visit our general Tulip information blog post at Bulb Hunter.