Are romantic tulips poisonous? Are they suitable for indoor cultivation?

Tulips are a world-famous flower and are widely cultivated around the world. There are tulip theme parks in many places. When the tulips are in full bloom, they are spectacular. Tulips have many colors. When they are cultivated with concentrated colors, they are very romantic when they bloom. Many people like to grow them indoors. Are tulips poisonous? What precautions should be taken when growing them indoors?

Morphological characteristics and habits

Tulip (Tulipa gesneriana L.) is a perennial bulbous flower of the genus Tulip in the Liliaceae family. Its bulb is oblate-conical and covered with pseudoscales. Scales, flower buds and lateral buds grow on the upper part of the bulb disk, and roots grow around the bottom. The stems and leaves are smooth, with 3 to 5 leaves, oblong-lanceolate, with a light blue-gray wax layer on the surface, and the entire edge is wavy. The flowers are large, solitary at the top of the stem, upright cup-shaped, with a variety of flower colors and stripes, double-petal varieties, flowering from March to May (Tulips in Beijing usually bloom from late March to early April), open during the day, close in the evening or on rainy days, and have flat seeds.

Tulips are native to the Mediterranean coast, the mountains of Turkey, and Xinjiang, China. They are now cultivated in various parts of China. They are long-day flowers that prefer sunny, wind-proof, warm and humid winters and cool and dry summers. They prefer slightly acidic sandy soils that are rich in humus, loose and fertile, and well-drained. They are often propagated by dividing bulbs, mainly by separating small bulbs. They can also be sown in the open field in autumn and germinate the following year.

Are tulips poisonous?

Tulips are poisonous. Tulip flowers and leaves contain a toxic alkaloid, which has a physiological effect similar to that of cefadroxil. The bulbs and roots (tulip roots) can also be used for medicinal purposes. The roots and flowers can be used as sedatives (drugs that inhibit the central nervous system to have a sedative effect). If a person stays in this kind of flowers for one or two hours, he or she will feel dizzy and his or her head will be swollen. In severe cases, hair will fall off. When going out to appreciate flowers, it is not advisable to stay in the flowers for a long time, especially not to smell the fragrance of flowers at close range. If you feel unwell, you should go to a nearby hospital for treatment immediately.

Although tulips are bright and beautiful, they are not suitable for indoor cultivation, especially in the bedroom, because they are toxic. The fragrance of the flowers cannot be dissipated in a closed bedroom, which will damage human health in the long run. It is best to grow them outdoors with good air circulation. The circulating air can evaporate the smell. If you don’t have a courtyard and want to grow them at home, you can also grow them on the balcony and open the window frequently to ventilate so that the fragrance is not strong.
Don’t plant too many tulips, just one or two pots are enough. At the same time, be sure to pay attention to children, as they are easily attracted by the bright colors of the flowers, and try to keep them out of their reach.

Tips for indoor growing

1. Cultivation location. It is best to cultivate tulip pots at home on the balcony or outdoors. Tulips are poisonous, and some tulips with floral fragrance are not good for health. When the bulbs begin to sprout, you can move the flower pots to a sunny window, which will help the tulips grow healthy flowers. After the flowering period, the bulbs need to rest for a while, so you can place the flower pots in a darker place indoors to let the bulbs naturally dormant.

2. Variety selection. There are many varieties of tulips, and it is advisable to choose varieties with low plants. If the plants are too tall, they will have weak resistance to lodging. Choose tulip bulbs with bright colors, large and full flowers, high-quality bulbs, full and fat, no trauma on the surface, hard and heavy texture to the touch, no diseases and insect pests, and bulbs of 10-12 cm.

3. Flower pot selection. Since tulips like sunlight and well-drained soil, when choosing flower pots and soil, it is recommended that you choose a deep and wide flower pot so that the bulbs can have enough space to grow. In addition, in order to provide good drainage conditions, there should be holes at the bottom of the flower pot.