Heirloom Flower Bulbs

In years past, the horticultural world classified a variety as an heirloom because its discovery or horticultural registration predated 1938. As the decades have flown by, varieties from the 1940s and even early 1950s are now being referred to as heirlooms.

Heirloom flower bulbs have been an important aspect of garden design and restoration for decades. Special sections of federal, state, municipal, museum and private gardens open to the public are often restored with heirloom varieties according to historic documentation. Private homes may choose heirloom varieties based on childhood memories of a grandparent's or parent's garden, or the style or age of the home.

From a horticultural perspective, it is valuable in and of itself to preserve and maintain as much plant diversity as is possible. Nothing is more sad than a 'lost tulip' (to borrow the title of Eric Breed's book Lost Tulips). Each variety is so distinctly special and important in its own way. We do our best to offer the widest selection possible in an effort to reduce the extinction of any rare, beautiful variety.

Heirloom bulbs can be incorporated easily into formal, well-kept display gardens, yet we adore most heirlooms because they are perfect inhabitants for more natural, even wild, settings. They seem to be closer to the earth, to Mother Nature. Dutch flower bulb hybridization tends to focus more on varieties that are good for cut flower production or for forcing in pots. Heirlooms offer us an amazing palette of colors, heights, forms, textures, bloom times and growing characteristics. They are treasures of the earth, worthy of our attention and protection.

Most special miscellaneous heirlooms are botanical species that were originally found in the wild before being commercially cultivated in the Netherlands. Heirloom Tulips and Narcissi were either found in the wild (in the case of species varieties), a result of early hybridization efforts, or of natural mutation and selection during the commercial growing process in the Netherlands.

Heirloom varieties have survived the trials and tribulations of Mother Nature for decades, and in many cases, centuries. They are tough survivors. Visits to northern and central Europe will reveal vast sun dappled woodlands carpeted with 16th century Hyacinthoides non-scripta, for example. The northwest United States has waves of mid-19th century Camassia cusickii and quamash blanketing swaths of its landscape. Long-lasting heirlooms usually only ask for well-draining, neutral pH soil with the composition of sandy loam and a minimum of six hours of sunlight each day. Most would be grateful for a light top dressing of an organic 4-10-6 fertilizer three times a year, to help nourish them for the long run, although it is not always necessary. They only want to be allowed to flower and die back naturally so that they may be fed by as much photosynthesis, and chlorophyll, as possible.

As much as we'd like all varieties of flower bulbs to be available forever, it is not always possible. As they age, some varieties may become susceptible to disease, pests or fungal infections. In both the Netherlands and the United States, horticultural restrictions on the use of chemical and organic fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides tighten every year, as they should, to protect our water, air and earth.

Please rest assured that we never substitute name varieties. Our bulbs, our heirlooms, are the real deal. Here are the incredibly vital, healthy heirloom varieties that we are carrying for your consideration. If you are looking for an heirloom bulb that we do not carry, we are happy to refer you to Scott Kunst's Old House Gardens.

If you need any help making a selection based on what would work best in your horticultural zone or planting site, call us. We would be happy to help you.

Item
Tulip Varieties
Year
5433 Kaufmanniana Tulip Kaufmanniana-Type 1877
5081 Species Tulipa biflora 1776
5165 Species Tulipa clusiana var. chrysantha 1928
5202 Species Tulipa dasystemon (T. tarda)
1877
5421 Species Tulipa humilis violacea 1860
5446 Species Tulipa kolpakowskiana 1877
5461 Species Tulipa linifolia 1884
5653 Species Tulipa praestans fuselier 1939
5745 Species Tulipa saxatilis 1825
5824 Species Tulipa turkestanica 1875
5175 Single Early Tulip Coleur Cardinal 1845
5439 Single Early Tulip Keizerskroon 1750
5665 Single Early Tulip Princess Irene 1949
5241 Triumph Tulip Dreaming Maid 1934
5052 Lily Flowering Tulip Ballade 1953
5846 Lily Flowering Tulip Westpoint 1943
5879 Lily Flowering Tulip White Triumphator 1972
5092 Parrot Tulip Black Parrot 1937
5290 Parrot Tulip Estella Rijnveld 1954
5549 Peony Flowering Tulip Mount Tacoma 1924
5038 Green Tulip Artist 1947
5319 Green Tulip Formosa 1926
5098 Single Late Tulip Bleu Aimable 1910
5197 Single Late Tulip Cum Laude 1944
5444 Single Late Tulip Kingsblood 1952
5554 Single Late Tulip Mrs. John T. Scheepers 1930
     
Item
Narcissus Varieties
Year
8278 Trumpet Daffodil King Alfred (type) Jumbo 1899
8289 Trumpet Daffodil King Alfred (type) DN II 1899
8340 Trumpet Daffodil Mount Hood 1930
8417 Trumpet Daffodil Rijnveld's Early Sensation 1943
8492 Trumpet Daffodil Spellbinder 1940
8300 Miniature Trumpet Daffodil Little Gem 1938
8023 Large Cupped Narcissus April Queen 1936
8136 Large Cupped Narcissus Flower Record 1942
8150 Large Cupped Narcissus Fortune 1917
8408 Large Cupped Narcissus Professor Einstein 1940
8582 Large Cupped Narcissus Weena 1948
8038 Small Cupped Narcissus Barrett Browning 1945
8112 Small Cupped Narcissus Dreamlight 1934
8118 Small Cupped Narcissus Edna Earl 1950
8011 Double Narcissus albus plenus odoratus 1861
8049 Double Narcissus Bridal Crown 1945
8067 Double Narcissus Cheerfulness 1923
8583 Double Narcissus White Lion 1940
8594 Double Narcissus Yellow Cheerfulness 1937
8027 Tazetta Narcissus Avalanche 1906
8078 Tazetta Narcissus Cragford 1930
8822 Tazetta Narcissus Geranium (VE landscape) 1929
8469 Tazetta Narcissus Silver Chimes 1914
8192 Triandrus Narcissus Hawera 1928
8549 Triandrus Narcissus Thalia 1916
8125 Cyclamineus Narcissus February Gold 1923
8220 Cyclamineus Narcissus Jack Snipe 1951
8362 Cyclamineus Narcissus Peeping Tom 1947
8538 Cyclamineus Narcissus Tete a Tete 1947
8007 Poeticus Narcissus Actaea 1919
8129 Poeticus Narcissus Felindre 1939
8391 Poeticus Pheasant's Eye 1850
8056 Species Mini Narc canaliculatus 1915
8251 Species Mini Narc jonquilla simplex 1750
8344 Species Mini Narc obvallaris 1796
     
Item
Special Miscellaneous Varieties
Year
1100 Allium aflatunense 1902
1112 Allium albopilosum 1901
1123 Allium atropurpureum 1800
1134 Allium azureum 1830
1145 Allium bulgaricum/Nectaroscordum siculum ssp 1873
1148 Allium carinatum s pulchellum 1810
1149 Allium cernuum 1898
1156 Allium cowanii 1823
1158 Allium flavum 1759
1178 Allium karativiense 1876
1190 Allium multibulbosum 1910
1213 Allium ostrowskianum 1873
1257 Allium rosenbachianum 1894
1262 Allium schubertii 1896
1280 Allium sphaerocephalon 1766
1291 Allium triquetrum 1789
1303 Allium unifolium 1873
2105 Anemone blanda Blue Shades 1898
2116 Anemone blanda Pink Star 1898
2138 Anemone blanda White Splendour 1898
2149 Anemone blanda Mixture 1898
3005 Brodiaea coccinea 1870
3011 Brodiaea ixioides Starlight 1831
3027 Calochortus superbus 1890
3031 Calochortus venustus 1850
3049 Camassia cusickii 1888
3068 Camassia quamash 1837
3068 Camassia quamash Orion 1913
3071 Chionodoxa forbesii 1880
3074 Chionodoxa gigantea 1878
3080 Chionodoxa gigantea alba 1885
3089 Chionodoxa sardensis 1883
3096 Corydalis solida 1930
3110 Crocus flavus Yellow Mammoth 1665
3167 Crocus tommasinianus 1847
3172 Crocus tommasinianus roseus 1925
3113 Crocus vernus Grand Maitre 1924
3114 Crocus vernus Jeanne d'Arc 1943
3118 Crocus vernus King of Striped 1880
3123 Crocus vernus Twilight (Negro Boy) 1910
3209 Eranthis hyemalis 1570
3210 Eremurus bungei 1834
3216 Eremurus robustus 1874
3400 Fritillaria acmopetala 1874
3402 Fritillaria assyriaca 1874
3413 Fritillaria imperialis lutea maxima 1590
3424 Fritillaria imperialis rubra maxima 1590
3435 Fritillaria meleagris 1575
3446 Fritillaria meleagris alba 1575
3457 Fritillaria michailowkyi 1905
3471 Fritillaria pallidiflora 1857
3479 Fritillaria persica 1585
3500 Galanthus elwesii 1875
3506 Galanthus ikariae 1893
3510 Galanthus nivalis Flore Pleno 1731
3514 Geranium tuberosum 1596
3520 Gladiolus communis ssp byzantinus 1629
4411 Hyacinth Blue Jacket 1953
4491 Hyacinth City of Haarlem 1893
4525 Hyacinth Delft Blue 1944
4548 Hyacinth Gypsy Queen 1927
4567 Hyacinth Jan Bos 1910
4736 Hyacinth Pink Pearl 1922
4811 Hyacinth White Pearl 1954
4829 Hyacinth Woodstock 1922
3922 Hyacinthoides hispanica Dainty Maid 1944
3929 Hyacinthoides hispanica Excelsior 1601
3941 Hyacinthoides hispanica White City 1601
3952 Hyacinthoides hispanica Mixture 1601
3954 Hyacinthoides non-scripta 1580
3540 Ipheion uniflorum 1836
3656 Iris danfordiae 1876
3660 Iris reticulata Cantab 1914
3682 Iris tuberosa (Hermodactylus tuberosa) 1597
3691 Ixiolirion tataricum ssp pallassi 1821
3652 Juno Iris aucheri 1890
3654 Juno Iris bucharica 1901
3695 Leucojum aestivum 1594
3699 Leucojum aestivum Gravetye Giant 1920
3706 Muscari ambrosiacum 1554
3717 Muscari armeniacum 1878
3727 Muscari aucheri Blue Magic 1871
3735 Muscari botryoides album 1896
3739 Muscari comosum 1596
3740 Muscari comosum plumosum 1612
3743 Muscari latifolium 1886
3752 Muscari paradoxum 1884
3765 Ornithogalum balansae 1884
3767 Ornithogalum magnum 1935
3768 Ornithogalum nutans Silver Bells 1629
3776 Ornithogalum umbellatum 1594
3782 Oxalis adenophylla 1905
3796 Puschkinia scilliodes var libanotica 1808
3798 Puschkinia scilliodes var libanotica alba 1808
3918 Scilla bifolia rosea 1601
3956 Scilla peruviana 1700
3957 Scilla pratensis 1827
3963 Scilla siberica alba 1880
3974 Scilla siberica Spring Beauty 1796
3985 Scilla tubergeniana 1931
     
Item
Lily Varieties
Year
7217 Chinese Trumpet Lily Golden Splendour 1957
7229 Chinese Trumpet Lily regale 1905
7639 Heirloom Species Lily Black Beauty 1957
7649 Heirloom Species Lily leichtlinii 1867
7663 Heirloom Species Lily tigrinum splendens 1804
     
Item
Bare-root Herbaceous Peony Varieties
Year
8915 Double Peony Bunker Hill 1906
8934 Double Peony festiva maxima 1851
8936 Semi-Double Peony Gay Paree 1933
8938 Double Peony Moonstone 1943
8946 Double Peony Red Charm 1944
8947 Double Peony Renato 1949
 

NOTE: We never substitute name varieties or change the name of a variety with the exception of three varieties in our collection. We have renamed Crocus vernus Negro Boy as Crocus vernus Twilight. In memory of Hil van Eeden, long-time family friend and colleague, we call Giant Darwin Hybrid Tulip Ivory Floradale as Cream Jewel. Trumpet Daffodil King Alfred has not been grown for decades. We select the best, strongest, most healthy, bright yellow trumpet daffodil with similar form, bloom time and growing characteristics in its stead. This year, as in past years, we are carrying Trumpet Daffodil Dutch Master (pre-1938) as our King Alfred-type.

Back to Top