White tulip varieties

These tulips carry white in the flower, alone or as an edge, flame or blend. The table below compares their group, height, hardiness zones and bloom time side by side.

Varieties
25
Height
4–24 in (10–60 cm)
Hardiness
USDA zones 3–8
Form

4 Lily-flowered

3 Double early

3 Fosteriana

3 Species

2 Double late

2 Viridiflora

2 Fringed

2 Kaufmanniana

1 Triumph

1 Parrot

1 Greigii

1 Darwin hybrid

Compare all 25 side by side

All 25 white tulip varieties

A Angelique tulip flower up close on the plant Angelique Double Late peony-flowered tulip with fragrant soft pink blooms on 16-inch stems. Late spring16 in (41 cm)Double late
A Arabian Mystery tulip flower up close on the plant Arabian Mystery Triumph tulip, violet purple edged white, about 45 cm, mid-season. Mid spring, Late spring18 in (45 cm)Triumph
A Ballade Lady tulip flower up close on the plant Ballade Lady Lily-flowered tulip in silvery-white and pale pink with rose-pink flushes, 22 inches tall. Late spring22 in (56 cm)Lily-flowered
A Ballade tulip flower up close on the plant Ballade Lily-flowered tulip with reddish-magenta petals edged ivory-white, 22 inches tall. Late spring22 in (56 cm)Lily-flowered
A China Town tulip flower up close on the plant China Town Short viridiflora tulip, pink with green feathering, over white-edged foliage. Mid spring, Late spring10–14 in (25–36 cm)Viridiflora
A Cummins tulip flower up close on the plant Cummins Fringed tulip with lavender-blue goblet blooms and white fringed petal edges. Late spring18–20 in (46–51 cm)Fringed
A Estella Rijnveld tulip flower up close on the plant Estella Rijnveld Heirloom Parrot tulip with twisted red and white flamed petals on 18-20 inch stems. Mid spring, Late spring18–20 in (46–51 cm)Parrot
A Exotic Emperor tulip flower up close on the plant Exotic Emperor Double Early sport of White Emperor, ivory-white with green striations, 12-20 inches. Early spring, Mid spring12–20 in (30–51 cm)Double early
A Fancy Frills tulip flower up close on the plant Fancy Frills Fringed tulip with rose-pink petals, ivory-white base and pale crystalline fringe. Mid spring, Late spring16–22 in (41–56 cm)Fringed
A Flaming Purissima tulip flower up close on the plant Flaming Purissima White Emperor sport, ivory to white with variable rose feathering and flames. Mid spring16–18 in (41–46 cm)Fosteriana
Floresta Kaufmanniana tulip striped red and white, yellow interior, 8 inches, early spring. Early spring8 in (20 cm)Kaufmanniana
A Foxtrot tulip flower up close on the plant Foxtrot Double early tulip, pink shades from near-white to rose, 12-14 inches, early spring. Early spring12–14 in (30–36 cm)Double early
A Lady Jane tulip flower up close on the plant Lady Jane Species tulip with rosy-red outer petals and ivory-white inside, 6 to 12 inches tall. Mid spring6–12 in (15–30 cm)Species
A Little Beauty tulip flower up close on the plant Little Beauty Cherry-red miniature species tulip with a white-edged blue center, 4 inches tall. Late spring4 in (10 cm)Species
A Mariette tulip flower up close on the plant Mariette Heirloom lily-flowered tulip with satin-rose petals and a white base, 22 inches tall. Mid spring, Late spring22 in (56 cm)Lily-flowered
A Marilyn tulip flower up close on the plant Marilyn Lily-flowered tulip with white petals flamed red, 22 inches tall. Mid spring, Late spring22 in (56 cm)Lily-flowered
A Mary Ann tulip flower up close on the plant Mary Ann Greigii tulip in deep rose, pink and white with a yellow base, 12 to 14 inches tall. Early spring12–14 in (30–36 cm)Greigii
A Mondial tulip flower up close on the plant Mondial Double Early tulip, creamy-white to snow-white with yellow base, 12-16 inches. Mid spring12–16 in (30–41 cm)Double early
A Mount Tacoma tulip flower up close on the plant Mount Tacoma Double Late heirloom tulip with fully double white flowers on 15 to 18 inch stems. Late spring15–18 in (38–46 cm)Double late
A Ollioules tulip flower up close on the plant Ollioules Darwin Hybrid tulip, rose-pink edged white, 18-24 inches, April bloom. Mid spring (estimated) 18–24 in (45–60 cm)Darwin hybrid
A Spring Green tulip flower up close on the plant Spring Green Viridiflora tulip with ivory petals and apple-green feathered flames. Mid spring, Late spring16–18 in (41–46 cm)Viridiflora
A Sweetheart tulip flower up close on the plant Sweetheart Fosteriana tulip in lemon-yellow with broad white edges, 16 to 18 inches. Mid spring16–18 in (41–46 cm)Fosteriana
A The First tulip flower up close on the plant The First Heirloom Kaufmanniana tulip, carmine-red edged white, 8-10 inches, early spring. Early spring8–10 in (20–25 cm)Kaufmanniana
A Tulipa tarda tulip flower up close on the plant Tulipa tarda Multi-flowering species tulip with star-shaped yellow flowers tipped white, 4 to 6 inches tall. Mid spring4–6 in (10–15 cm)Species
A White Emperor tulip flower up close on the plant White Emperor Fosteriana tulip, also called Purissima, opening milky white and maturing to pure white. Mid spring16–18 in (41–46 cm)Fosteriana

How to choose

  1. Start with the group. The tulip classification sorts tulips by flower shape and flowering time, so the Form column tells you whether a variety opens early, mid-season or late in spring.

  2. White can appear as the edge or flame of a two-color tulip. Check the Color column if you want a flower that is white throughout.

  3. Check the Height column before you plan the bed. Tulips of the same color can differ a lot in height, and a tall variety set in front of a short one will hide it.

Compare side by side

Color Sunlight
Angelique Double late 16 in (41 cm) 3–8 Late spring Full sun, Part shade
Arabian Mystery Triumph 18 in (45 cm) 3–8 (estimated) Mid spring, Late spring Full sun, Part sun, Part shade
Ballade Lily-flowered 22 in (56 cm) 3–7 Late spring Full sun (estimated)
Ballade Lady Lily-flowered 22 in (56 cm) 3–7 Late spring Full sun (estimated)
China Town Viridiflora 10–14 in (25–36 cm) 3–8 Mid spring, Late spring Full sun
Cummins Fringed 18–20 in (46–51 cm) 3–7 Late spring Full sun, Part sun
Estella Rijnveld Parrot 18–20 in (46–51 cm) 3–8 Mid spring, Late spring Full sun, Part shade
Exotic Emperor Double early 12–20 in (30–51 cm) 3–8 Early spring, Mid spring Full sun, Part shade
Fancy Frills Fringed 16–22 in (41–56 cm) 3–8 Mid spring, Late spring Full sun, Part shade
Flaming Purissima Fosteriana 16–18 in (41–46 cm) 3–8 Mid spring Full sun (estimated)
Floresta Kaufmanniana 8 in (20 cm) 3–8 Early spring Full sun (estimated)
Foxtrot Double early 12–14 in (30–36 cm) 3–8 Early spring Full sun, Part sun
Lady Jane Species 6–12 in (15–30 cm) 4–8 Mid spring Full sun
Little Beauty Species 4 in (10 cm) 4–8 Late spring Full sun
Mariette Lily-flowered 22 in (56 cm) 3–7 Mid spring, Late spring Full sun, Part shade
Marilyn Lily-flowered 22 in (56 cm) 3–8 Mid spring, Late spring Full sun, Part shade
Mary Ann Greigii 12–14 in (30–36 cm) 3–8 Early spring Full sun, Part shade
Mondial Double early 12–16 in (30–41 cm) 3–7 Mid spring Full sun (estimated)
Mount Tacoma Double late 15–18 in (38–46 cm) 3–8 Late spring Full sun, Part shade
Ollioules Darwin hybrid 18–24 in (45–60 cm) 3–8 Mid spring (estimated) Full sun, Part sun, Part shade
Spring Green Viridiflora 16–18 in (41–46 cm) 3–8 Mid spring, Late spring Full sun
Sweetheart Fosteriana 16–18 in (41–46 cm) 3–8 Mid spring Full sun (estimated)
The First Kaufmanniana 8–10 in (20–25 cm) 3–8 Early spring Full sun (estimated)
Tulipa tarda Species 4–6 in (10–15 cm) 4–8 Mid spring Full sun
White Emperor Fosteriana 16–18 in (41–46 cm) 3–8 Mid spring Full sun (estimated)

Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.

Frequently asked questions

Why is a cream tulip missing from this page?

We record cream and ivory separately from white. A tulip its source describes as cream is recorded as cream, so a white tulip on this page is one the seller calls white.

When should these tulip bulbs be planted?

In fall, before your first frost, according to Penn State Extension; Iowa State notes they can go in as late as December if the ground is not frozen. Our bulb calendar gives the first frost date for your ZIP code.

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