Tulip seeds.

Question

Good day,

I asked about growing tulips from seed after one of our new plants produced a seed pod last sping. The answer told me I could grow the seeds, but had a little note on it saying something along the lines… “don’t expect the flowers to be the same as the source plant”. The seed pod I have has now split, and the number of seeds inside was quite a surprise, there are MANY. So a general question mostly arising from that note in the previous answer. What does that mean? Is it simply a question of colour? I really don’t mind what colour they are if that is the only issue?

Answer 1

Many tulips are hybrids, meaning they have 2 “parents”. The flower may have been pollinated by a different tulip as bees go from flower to flower. All this means that the seeds represent genetic material from several different tulips. And, like human children, the “offspring” from the seeds will be a mixture of characteristics. One of the seeds may produce a flower of the same color but the plant may not be the same size you were expecting. Or it may not be as hardy. It is truly “pot luck” when growing seeds from hybrid plants; you don’t know what you’ll get but it may be amazing – or a dud. I hope this helps.

Answer 2

Thank you for the answer. The tulip that produced the pod is one of six in our back garden. All of them are the same size, shape and colour. I’ve not seen other tulips around in other local gardens, but have no idea how far bees commute. I’ll plant a group of the seeds and see what happens, I understand it may be a few years before they flower anyway.