White Emperor Tulip

This is the famous white companion for world-famous Red Emperor. The official variety name is Purisima' and it fits: These big white flowers are pure, pure white. For a dramatic pure red and pure white display, simply plant the two Emperors together.

About the famous Emperor Tulips: Early in the 20th Century, a talented Dutch hybridizer named Lefeber worked long and hard with a wild tulip called 'Tulipa fosteriana' from Central Asia. It is red, and from it, he hybridized the group that became known as the Emperor Tulips. From the very small wild form, the enormous-flowered, world-famous Red Emperor was introduced in 1931, and is what we now call a member of the 'Fosteriana Tulip' group. In fact, Red Emperor's official variety name is 'Madame Lefeber' in honor of the original hybridizer's wife.

White Emperor, Orange Emperor and a few others now make up this classic group. Every year millions of Emperor Tulips are planted worldwide, and are favorites for mass plantings in parks, botanical gardens, and other public places. They bloom early, are all the same height (shorter than later tulips), and the huge flowers open wide before they fade, almost like huge poppies.

Since the Emperors are closely related to a wild species, they are much more 'perennial' than most tulips, making them even more valuable.

In America's current Top Ten list for popularity in the US, compiled by the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Centre, Red Emperor, even though it's now 73 years old, stands tall at No. 7. The second most popular Emperor is White Emperor, and these two are often planted together; the red and white combination is a spring favorite all over the world.