Yellow tulip varieties

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

Varieties
28
Height
0½–2 ft (10–61 cm)
Hardiness
USDA zones 3–8
Form

5 Double early

5 Species

5 Fosteriana

3 Greigii

2 Darwin hybrid

2 Fringed

2 Kaufmanniana

2 Viridiflora

1 Lily-flowered

1 Parrot

Compare all 28 side by side

All 28 yellow tulip varieties

A Apricot Symbiose tulip flower up close on the plant Apricot Symbiose Double Early tulip in apricot, yellow and rose, 14 inches, mid-April. Mid spring14 in (36 cm)Double early
A Avant Garde tulip flower up close on the plant Avant Garde Double Early tulip, creamy-yellow maturing to ivory, 14 inches, mid-April. Mid spring14 in (36 cm)Double early
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 Big Chief tulip flower up close on the plant Big Chief Darwin Hybrid tulip, rosy salmon with yellow base, 18-24 inches, mid to late spring. Mid spring, Late spring18–24 in (45–60 cm)Darwin hybrid
A Crystal Star tulip flower up close on the plant Crystal Star Fringed tulip with yellow 4-inch blooms and finely fringed petals. Mid spring, Late spring16–22 in (41–56 cm)Fringed
A Daydream tulip flower up close on the plant Daydream Darwin Hybrid tulip, flowers open yellow and turn apricot-orange on 20 to 24 inch stems. Mid spring1½–2 ft (51–61 cm)Darwin hybrid
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 Flaming Parrot tulip flower up close on the plant Flaming Parrot Parrot tulip with yellow petals flamed red, on 18 to 22 inch stems. Late spring18–22 in (46–56 cm)Parrot
Floresta Kaufmanniana tulip striped red and white, yellow interior, 8 inches, early spring. Early spring8 in (20 cm)Kaufmanniana
A Formosa tulip flower up close on the plant Formosa Heirloom viridiflora tulip, bright yellow flamed with green, 20 inches. Late spring20 in (51 cm)Viridiflora
A Graefin Bettina tulip flower up close on the plant Graefin Bettina Greigii tulip, yellow with thick red flames and mottled foliage, 10 to 12 inches tall. Early spring, Mid spring10–12 in (25–30 cm)Greigii
A Lambada tulip flower up close on the plant Lambada Fringed tulip with coral to apricot-rose petals and yellow fringed edges on 18 to 20-inch stems. Mid spring, Late spring18–20 in (46–51 cm)Fringed
A Lilac Wonder tulip flower up close on the plant Lilac Wonder Species tulip with rose-lilac flowers and yellow bases on 7-inch stems in May. Late spring7 in (18 cm)Species
A Marie Jo tulip flower up close on the plant Marie Jo Double Early tulip with ruffled double yellow flowers, 14-16 inches, mid-April. Mid spring14–16 in (36–41 cm)Double early
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 Orange Emperor tulip flower up close on the plant Orange Emperor Fosteriana tulip in carrot-orange with a pale yellow base, later than most Emperors. Early spring, Mid spring16–18 in (41–46 cm)Fosteriana
A Persian Pearl tulip flower up close on the plant Persian Pearl Magenta-rose species tulip with a yellow star center, 4 to 6 inches tall, blooming in April. Mid spring4–6 in (10–15 cm)Species
A Quebec tulip flower up close on the plant Quebec Multi-flowering greigii tulip, rosy-red with creamy-yellow margins, 14 inches tall. Early spring, Mid spring14 in (36 cm)Greigii
A Red Emperor tulip flower up close on the plant Red Emperor Heirloom Fosteriana tulip with red flowers over a yellow base, up to 7 inches across. Early spring, Mid spring16–18 in (41–46 cm)Fosteriana
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 sylvestris tulip flower up close on the plant Tulipa sylvestris Fragrant yellow species tulip with green outer petals, 8 to 12 inches tall, blooming in April. Mid spring8–12 in (20–30 cm)Species
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 Tulipa turkestanica tulip flower up close on the plant Tulipa turkestanica Multi-flowering species tulip with ivory stars and orange-yellow bases, 8 inches tall. Early spring, Mid spring8 in (20 cm)Species
A Virichic tulip flower up close on the plant Virichic Viridiflora tulip of nearly lily-flowered form, pale rose with green flames. Late spring18 in (46 cm)Viridiflora
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
A Yellow Purissima tulip flower up close on the plant Yellow Purissima Canary-yellow Fosteriana tulip, a sport of White Emperor, 16 to 18 inches. 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. Yellow can appear as the base or the edge of a two-color tulip. Check the Color column if you want yellow across the whole flower.

  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
Apricot Symbiose Double early 14 in (36 cm) 3–7 Mid spring Full sun (estimated)
Avant Garde Double early 14 in (36 cm) 3–7 Mid spring Full sun (estimated)
Ballade Lady Lily-flowered 22 in (56 cm) 3–7 Late spring Full sun (estimated)
Big Chief Darwin hybrid 18–24 in (45–60 cm) 3–7 Mid spring, Late spring Full sun, Part sun, Part shade
Crystal Star Fringed 16–22 in (41–56 cm) 3–8 Mid spring, Late spring Full sun, Part shade
Daydream Darwin hybrid 1½–2 ft (51–61 cm) 3–8 Mid 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
Flaming Parrot Parrot 18–22 in (46–56 cm) 4–7 Late spring Full sun
Floresta Kaufmanniana 8 in (20 cm) 3–8 Early spring Full sun (estimated)
Formosa Viridiflora 20 in (51 cm) 3–7 Late spring Full sun (estimated)
Graefin Bettina Greigii 10–12 in (25–30 cm) 3–7 Early spring, Mid spring Full sun (estimated)
Lambada Fringed 18–20 in (46–51 cm) 3–8 Mid spring, Late spring Full sun, Part shade
Lilac Wonder Species 7 in (18 cm) 3–8 Late spring Full sun
Marie Jo Double early 14–16 in (36–41 cm) 3–7 Mid spring Full sun (estimated)
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)
Orange Emperor Fosteriana 16–18 in (41–46 cm) 3–8 Early spring, Mid spring Full sun, Part shade
Persian Pearl Species 4–6 in (10–15 cm) 4–8 Mid spring Full sun
Quebec Greigii 14 in (36 cm) 3–8 Early spring, Mid spring Full sun, Part shade
Red Emperor Fosteriana 16–18 in (41–46 cm) 3–8 Early spring, Mid spring Full sun, Part shade
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 sylvestris Species 8–12 in (20–30 cm) 5–8 Mid spring Full sun, Part shade
Tulipa tarda Species 4–6 in (10–15 cm) 4–8 Mid spring Full sun
Tulipa turkestanica Species 8 in (20 cm) 4–8 Early spring, Mid spring Full sun
Virichic Viridiflora 18 in (46 cm) 3–7 Late spring Full sun (estimated)
White Emperor Fosteriana 16–18 in (41–46 cm) 3–8 Mid spring Full sun (estimated)
Yellow Purissima 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 butter or cream tulip missing from this page?

We record cream separately from yellow. A tulip its source describes as cream or butter is recorded as cream, and one described as golden or yellow is recorded as yellow.

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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