If you like tulips then there are a number of other spring flowering bulbs that you will love! This list showcases flower bulbs that are super early bloomers, have stop-you-in-your-tracks fragrance, or produce unique flowers that give tulips a run for their money. Why not plant some of these bulbs this fall and create a stunning spring garden?
Tulips are wonderful plants. Frilly parrot tulips, deep-dark-almost-black purple tulips, cheery giant tulips, and many more can be found in my garden beds.
But tulips aren’t the only spring flowering bulbs I give space to in my garden. I get just as much (maybe even more) enjoyment out of these outstanding spring bloomers. And fall is the time to get them in the ground!
If you really want to make your spring a magical one, try planting some of these more unique and beautiful bulbs in your lawn…in addition to the tulips!
Sponsored Content: I’m proudly partnering with FlowerBulbs.com to share this list of extraordinary spring flowering bulbs to plant in the fall. FlowerBulbs.com’s goal is to help spread information and love for gardening through bulbs. While I was creating this list of the bulbs I grow in my garden, I used the site as a resource for the growing information and some gorgeous photos. While this list is a compilation of my 12 favourite bulbs, corms, and tubers to plant in fall, there are many more to search through in FlowerBulbs.com’s spring database.
Tulips are one of the most popular and iconic spring flowers, loved for their vibrant cups in bold colors. But did you know there are many other flowers that closely resemble tulips, yet aren’t actually tulips?
From early bloomers to exotic tropical varieties, these stunning doppelgangers will fool any casual glance. I’ve compiled a list of 8 beautiful flowers that could easily pass as tulips but aren’t.
1. Pasque Flower
With its cup-shaped blooms and ferny foliage, the pasque flower (Anemone patens) is often mistaken for a tulip. These hardy perennials produce flowers in white, pink, blue, and purple hues on downy stems
Pasque flowers thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, making them ideal for rock gardens. They bloom in early spring, emerging before their leaves unfurl The cheery blooms attract bees and butterflies
2. Montbretia
Hailing from South Africa, montbretia brightens up the summer garden with its vibrant tulip-like blooms. The funnel-shaped flowers are borne on slender 2-3 foot stems above iris-like leaves. They come in fiery shades of yellow, orange, and red.
Also known as Crocosmia, this easy-to-grow bulb naturalizes readily, spreading via underground corms. Try mass planting montbretia along borders for a dazzling display. It flourishes in full sun and moist, well-drained soil.
3. Daylily
It’s no wonder daylilies are so often mistaken for tulips. Their floral structure is remarkably similar – trumpets on stems with long, grassy leaves. But while tulips only bloom for a short time in spring, daylilies flower all summer into fall.
Available in almost every color except blue and true white, these carefree plants are perfect for perennial gardens and borders. Plant them in full sun or light shade. Divide the clumps every few years as they expand. Many rebloom repeatedly for months.
4. Red Hot Poker
As its name suggests, red hot poker (Kniphofia) brings sizzling summer color to the landscape. Dense flower spikes open to reveal hundreds of torch-like blooms, resembling giant orange or red tulips on tall stalks.
Providing essential nectar for hummingbirds, these South African natives thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. Their spiky blooms and strappy leaves add bold texture. Red hot pokers make excellent cut flowers too.
5. Scarlet Cup
Scarlet cup (Astrantia major) is an old-fashioned charmer, producing flowers that look remarkably like scarlet tulips. The deeply lobed, crinkly blooms arise on wiry 18-inch stems, swaying gracefully in the breeze.
Partial shade and moist, fertile soil suit this long-blooming perennial best. It usually flowers from late spring to early summer. The red blooms attract butterflies and make lovely cut flowers. Once settled in, scarlet cup will self-sow with abandon.
6. Fringed Tulip Poppy
It’s only logical that the fringed tulip poppy would resemble its namesake. This rare poppy has uniquely ruffled petals in red, orange, pink, and white hues, perfectly replicating tulip flowers. The crinkled flowers surround bushy gray centers.
Ideal for cool climates, these poppies reach just 12-18 inches tall. Grow them in full sun and sharp drainage for optimal bloom. They happily self-seed, providing more plants every year. Handle them gently, as the blooms bruise easily.
7. Persian Buttercup
Native to the Middle East, Persian buttercup (Ranunculus asiaticus) produces cheerful flowers that greatly resemble colorful tulips. The crinkly petals come in vivid reds, whites, pinks, oranges, and yellows with contrasting centers.
These bulbs reach only 6-12 inches tall, making them perfect for containers. They flourish in full sun and moist, fertile soil. In zones 8-10, they may rebloom lightly in fall. Plant the bulbs in late winter for spring blooms.
8. Bluestar Flower
At first glance, the steel-blue flowers of bluestar (Amsonia) closely resemble blue tulips. Bluestar is available in several species, some growing over 2 feet tall. The willowy perennials thrive in full sun or light shade, adapting to most soils.
Pair bluestar with bushy, mounded plants to best showcase its airy habit and blue spring blooms. The flowers beautifully complement the fine-textured green foliage. Good drainage is key to preventing root rot issues.
With their familiar cup-shaped blooms and vibrant hues, these tulip doppelgangers will fool even seasoned gardeners. Enjoy their gorgeous flowers from early spring into fall by incorporating them en masse into flower beds, borders, and containers. With such a diverse range to choose from, your garden can boast the tulip look year-round!
Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum)
Grape hyacinths are not at all related to Dutch hyacinths; they are the Muscari genus, which has about 30 different species. While they are all prolific bulbs that naturalize easily, the colours can range from white to deep blue and, of course, grape-purple.
Muscari look beautiful when planted in rivers through gardens, and they do extremely well in containers. The individual blooms may be diminutive, but grown together they are absolutely stunning. They’re part of my flower bulb lawn!
Grape hyacinths bloom longer than most other spring flowering bulbs too. They make a great cut flower, they provide an early nectar source for pollinators (except for the double ones) and they are deer and rabbit resistant.
- USDA zone: 4-8
- Type of bulb: true bulb
- Flower colour: blue, purple or white
- Flowering period: March-May, depending on the species
- Average plant height: 4 – 10 inches
- Planting depth to base of bulb: 5 inches
- Spacing between bulbs: 8 cm
- Light requirements: full sun to partial shade
- Landscape uses: borders, rock gardens, and under shrubs and trees
Dutch Hyacinth (Hyacinthus spp.)
Dutch hyacinths are not only gorgeous with their tightly clustered bell-shaped flowers in many colours options, but they also have the most heavenly perfume!
In the Victorian era, hyacinths were revered for their scent. It was common to devote an entire garden to these fragrant flowers alone. Plant in full sun or partial shade and they will bloom in early spring.
- USDA zone: 4-8
- Type of bulb: true bulb
- Flower colour: red, pink, orange, salmon, yellow, purple, white and blue
- Flowering period: March – April
- Average plant height: 10 inches
- Planting depth to base of bulb: 8 inches
- Spacing between bulbs: 6 inches
- Light requirements: full sun to partial shade
- Landscape uses: beds and borders
Photo courtesy of flowerbulbs.com. In the right conditions, hyacinths can be perennial bulbs.
I’m NEVER growing tulips again (and here’s why)!
FAQ
What flower looks like a tulip but isn t?
Daffodils (Narcissus)
Bright daffodils have similar vibrant blossoms to tulips. With sunlight, water, and rich soil, you’ll see their crowns in no time. Plus, different varieties will thrive in any hardiness zone.
What are the tiny flowers that look like tulips?
Rain Lily
These small, cup-shaped perennials bloom after rainfall and resemble miniature tulips, thriving in tropical and subtropical regions.
Can alliums and tulips be planted together?
A colorful plant combination to cheer you up in late spring! Easy to replicate and low maintenance, this combo includes 3 superb top performers: Tulipa ‘Dordogne’ (Single Late Tulip), Allium hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’ (Ornamental Onion) and Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue).
What flowers look like tulips?
Crocuses are among the first flowers to bloom in spring and their bright colors are a welcome sight after a long winter. 4. Crown Imperial (Fritillaria imperial). This is one of the most striking flowers that looks like a tulip. It has an elegant, trumpet-shaped bloom with a wonderful fragrance. Do bellflowers look like tulips?
Do bellflowers look like tulips?
Bellflower (Campanula) Bellflowers have a very similar shape to tulips, and they grow best when you plant them in zones three to eight. These flowers that look like tulips work well in a border planting, or you can put them in a pretty floral arrangement. The flowers have a pretty blue color with a whitish-green center.
Are tulip flowers similar to tulips?
Some flowers are similar to tulips. Tulips (Tulipa spp.) are extremely popular spring plants that grow from bulbs and produce cup-shaped flowers. Native to parts of Europe, Asia and the Middle East, there are some 100 different species of tulip that come in nearly every color except true blue. Tulips can be planted as annuals or perennials.
Which flowers resemble tulips the most?
Fastigiatum is one of the most tulip-like flowers on this list. It has lance-shaped petals and a violet or purple bloom. This flower grows about two feet tall and blooms in late spring or early summer. Fastigiatum can be propagated by division, but planting bulbs from cuttings is also an option.
Do tulips have cup shaped flowers?
Tulips (Tulipa) have cup-shaped flowers that may be confused with some other blooms. However, tulips grow on single stems with sword-shaped leaves, unlike most of the flowers they resemble. Tulips, which are grown from bulbs, usually bloom in spring and require some winter cold for best performance.
Do tulip poppies resemble tulips?
Fringed Tulip Poppy It certainly makes sense that a flower called a tulip poppy would resemble a tulip! This rare poppy has crinkly petals in shades of red, orange, pink, and white that surround a fuzzy gray center, perfectly mimicking a tulip bloom. Growing 12-18 inches tall, fringed tulip poppies thrive in cool climates.