Description

Tulip National Velvet is one of the most dramatic Triumph tulips available, admired for its deep, velvety crimson blooms that glow with richness under spring light. The petals are smooth and satiny, with a sheen that catches morning dew and afternoon sun alike, creating a luxurious, almost fabric-like effect—hence its name. Unlike tulips with shifting tones, National Velvet delivers a true, consistent depth of colour, making it a steadfast anchor in planting schemes where intensity and reliability are required.

Flowering in mid-spring at around 45–50 cm, this tulip is strong-stemmed and weather-resilient, performing admirably even under Irish Atlantic breezes and passing showers. Its goblet-shaped blooms hold firm through unpredictable weather, ensuring that beds and borders maintain their impact over several weeks. While Triumph tulips like National Velvet are not highly fragrant and offer only modest biodiversity value, they can still provide a useful pollen source for early bees if allowed to open fully in sunny weather. In pollinator-conscious designs, it is best paired with ecological allies such as Allium Purple Sensation, Camassia leichtlinii, or naturalised Narcissus poeticus recurvus to extend both seasonal interest and biodiversity support.

Plant National Velvet in autumn into free-draining, fertile soil in a sunny position. It thrives in formal borders, mixed perennial beds, civic plantings, and container schemes, where its rich red tones create an immediate focal point. In landscape use, it excels when mass-planted in drifts, especially in high-visibility public sites, road medians, and parkland edges where its saturated colour delivers bold seasonal drama.

Designers often use National Velvet as a foil for lighter colours—pairing it with Tulip Maureen for sharp red-and-white contrasts, or blending it with the silvery mauves of Tulip Moonblush or the inky tones of Queen of Night for layered sophistication. In cut arrangements, its velvety finish brings depth and refinement, making it a sought-after choice for florists seeking richness of tone and strong vase life.