Tulip planting question...?

Question

I know that you need to plant the fringed and/or parrot tulips away from the normal tulips because they have a virus that causes that anomaly. My question is this: How far apart do you need to plant them from each variety?

Let me start over again.

I know when Tulips need to be planted. I know that they can take some crowding. What I don't know is how far apart do I need to plant the Parrot tulips from the normal ones to prevent the normal ones from looking like parrot ones. Because, if you plant Parrot tulips right next to normal ones, they will ALL look like Parrot tulips.

Answer 1

Thanks for the input with your question also. I work in a green house and i have been asked this question before. I had no idea what the answer was so i had to ask myself. fringed and parrot tulips are not hardy and most of the time don't come back. So in that case you dont have to worry about it. Well here in Illinois away if you live somewhere warmer Florida etc, i would go at least 3 to 4ft away. Is really all in the pollen and no one can control that.

Answer 2

Tulips will stand a bit of crowding so don't be too concerned about the distance apart. Instead spread them out to evenly fill the area you have selected.

Answer 3

Just one small point. Tulips should have been planted in October.

Answer 4

Plants that use a virus to produce variation of the flower colours don't have a virus that is contagious. It is a "genetic' type virus that in their genes.

Plants that have splashes of colour such as Camellia "Emperor of Russia Variegated" (crimson coloured flowers with white splashed flowers) sometimes has leaves that are green with yellow patchy spots on them, this is the virus showing but it is not contagious to other Camellia.