Tulips

Tulips are pretty flowers that bloom in the spring. Their petals form the shape of a cup. Tulips come in many colors like red, yellow, pink, purple, and white. They grow from round bulbs planted in the ground. Tulips are loved by gardeners all over the world.

How They Grow

A tulip starts as a bulb, which looks a bit like an onion. Bulbs are planted in the fall before winter. The cold helps them get ready to grow. In early spring, green leaves push up from the soil. Soon after, the tulip flower opens up toward the sun.

Famous in Holland

Tulips are very famous in the Netherlands, also called Holland. Huge fields of tulips bloom there every spring. People travel from all over to see the colorful rows. Long ago, tulip bulbs were so popular they cost a lot of money. Today, Holland still sells tulips to the whole world.

Fun Facts

• There are over 3,000 kinds of tulips.
• Tulips first grew wild in the mountains of Asia.
• A tulip flower can close up at night and open in the morning.

Did You Know?

Tulip petals are actually safe to eat. During a tough time in World War II, some people ate tulip bulbs when food was hard to find.