Tulips - side bulbs?

RoseGirl · May 2021

I planted some Queen of the Night tulips last autumn, and they are just opening up now beautifully. But I am surprised to find about half of them have little mini plants coming up alongside, with much smaller flower heads developing. I'm wondering... have the bulbs made little offsets/babies?

If so, that would be good, wouldn't it? Suggesting they are happy and will do well again next year. (I am much too lazy to dig them up and replant, which is why I have never planted tulips before, but my other half loves them...)

But if that is the case, should I pinch the teeny flower heads off so they don't waste any more energy making them, and instead concentrate on making a nice fat bulb?

Shower me with expertise!

m

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Palustris · May 2021

We planted 500 Queen of the night in our previous garden. When the Badger dug them up a few years later we reckon there were over 3.000 of them, all flowering. So, yes, if they like their position then they will propagate themselves.

RoseGirl · May 2021

Palustris said:

We planted 500 Queen of the night in our previous garden. When the Badger dug them up a few years later we reckon there were over 3.000 of them, all flowering. So, yes, if they like their position then they will propagate themselves.

Well that's good to know! I'll be very happy if they naturalise. I'll watch these runty side shoots and see what happens...

Tulips - side bulbs?

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