Tulips

How to Buy The Best Bulk Tulips: Buying Guide

What are tulips?

Tulips are colorful bell-shaped perennial flowers.

Perennial refers to the type of flowers that bloom for more than one season. Perennial tulips bloom in spring. Once the bloom time is complete, tulips, like other perennials, store food in their bulbs before going completely dormant in late summer or fall.

Tulip bulbs are extremely hardy and will continue to bloom in the springtime for many years.

What colors do tulips come in?

Of all the cut flowers, tulips are one of the most popular worldwide. Because of their popularity, tulips have been cultivated and hybridized over and over. Currently, there are over 3,000 different varieties, according to the Royal Horticultural Association of Holland.

With that many possibilities, it's no surprise tulips are available in almost any color. Some colors are certainly more popular than others:

• White tulips
• Red tulips
• Yellow tulips
• Pink tulips
• Striped tulips

Tulips cover the entire spectrum of colors. The purest white flower, an array of yellows and many shades of light pink flowers make up the lighter side. Stunning shades of red, sunset orange flowers and the deepest purples fall in the bolder end.

What do tulips symbolize?

Originally cultivated by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th-century, tulips were grown to symbolize heaven and eternal life. Tulip-filled Turkish gardens were described as "paradise on earth."

In the late 1500s, tulips were introduced to the Netherlands (specifically Belgium) where the Dutch popularized the flower. At that time, tulips were said to represent the brevity, or shortness of life because of the tulip's short blooming season.

At the height of the Victorian era, when flowers were used to send messages, tulips were said to symbolize charity toward the poor. Eventually, that morphed further into what tulips are considered to represent today.

Tulips represent various levels of love from passionate, romantic love to platonic affection and even the despair of unreciprocated love. They symbolize joy, prosperity, or purity.

Unlike other varieties of fresh cut flowers, depending on the color of the flower tulip meanings can be very specific.

What do the different colors of tulips mean?

Whether you go to a florist or have your SamsClub.com shopping cart filled with a glorious tulip mix for some DIY arrangements, knowing what each tulip color symbolizes can help you decide which ones to choose.

To speak the language of flowers choose your colors according to the message they represent:

• Red tulips express deep desire, passion, and undying love, similar to red roses. Be unique. Send a bouquet of red tulips and roses for Valentine's Day. Because tulips are the suggested gift for the 11th anniversary, they're the perfect present to recognize the couple's long-lasting love.
• Pink tulips convey non-romantic affection and caring, making them perfect for family and friends. A fragrant arrangement of pink tulips makes a special Mother's Day gift or birthday surprise for a sibling or BFF.
• Yellow tulips represent friendship, hope and an overall sense of cheerfulness. But be wary: these flowers can also express unrequited love (I love you, but I know you don't feel the same way). Choose yellow tulips for any event that deserves a congratulation (new job, new home, new baby). They also send a thoughtful get-well-soon message.
• Orange tulips suggest enthusiasm, energy and appreciation. They can also relay thankfulness to a special person in your life. These energetic flowers should be sent to show appreciation or to say "Thank You."
• Purple tulips signify regalness, royalty and prosperity. They're great for weddings, house warmings and graduations to express hopes for prosperity in a new chapter of life.
• White tulips demonstrate purity, innocence and respect. Because white also symbolizes forgiveness they're the perfect choice as an apology bouquet. White tulips are also appropriate as sympathy gifts for funerals.

If you're not exactly sure of the message you want to send, that's not a problem. Choose a multi-colored tulip arrangement. In flower language, you'll display grace and elegance regardless of the occasion.

Can you buy wholesale tulips or bulk tulips?

If you are planning a large event or want to add pops of color to your place of business, Sam's Club offers a nice and affordable selection of bulk flowers. With our exclusive member pricing, when you purchase tulip flowers in large quantities, you are paying wholesale flower prices.

We also carry a helpful selection of filler flowers, greenery, and floral arranging supplies.

What to Consider When Buying Bulk Tulips

After you determine the occasion and what color of tulips you'll need, the next step is to choose from the many different varieties of tulips available.

From the classic cup-shaped tulip to more exotic varieties, tulips come in all shapes, colors and sizes. Some of the more well-known hybrids include parrot tulips, triumph tulips, double tulips, fringed tulips, and Darwin hybrid tulips.

What other flowers can be paired with tulips?

In a garden, tulips can be stunning all on their own, but when planted alongside other perennials and annuals they make an even more dramatic statement.

The same holds true for flower arrangements. A fresh cut tulip mix combined with contrasting flowers such as roses and hydrangeas makes a gorgeous centerpiece for any occasion.

Even if you only need several bouquets of flowers, a Sam's Club florist can arrange a stunning bouquet.

All types of flowers work to complement one another, but with tulips, some types look better than others:

• Daffodil
• Amaryllis
• Hyacinth
• Crocus
• Peony
• Forget-me-not

For home gardeners and landscapers alike, we have a variety of annual flowers and tulip bulbs to get you started.

FAQ: Bulk Tulips

Are tulips poisonous?

Tulip petals are used as garnishes or in salads. There is some debate about whether or not the tulip bulb is safe to eat. Some say the entire bulb contains toxic compounds that can cause illness, while others believe it to be edible if the inner portion of the bulb is removed.

When do tulips bloom?

From early spring to late spring, depending on the hardiness zone, different varieties of tulips have various bloom times. All tulips will bloom sometime between early April and May. Tulip bloom time lasts from one to three weeks.