tulip ‘Queen of Night’

Tulipa ‘Queen of Night’ bears deep maroon petals that appear almost black. This single late tulip, the tallest of the tulip groups, blooms in late spring and stays upright through the vagaries of spring weather.

Plant breeders have tried to create a truly black tulip for centuries, but this cultivar from the 1940’s comes as close as it gets. While it has rivals in ‘Black Parrot’ tulip and ‘Paul Scherer’ it remains on the market as one of the darkest tulips ever achieved.

The parent varieties of ‘Queen of Night’ are noted for the ability to return for several years before losing vigor. Lurie Garden plants them every two to three years to maintain the desired, large blooms. Like most of spring bulbs, ‘Queen of Night’ thrives in sunny spaces with well-drained soil and can be planted under deciduous trees, which leaf out after the tulip has bloomed.

Dark tulips when added to a mix of pink or red with very light ones give an illusion of depth to a planting, resulting in a fuller-looking grouping of blooms.