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Tulipa edulis

Common name:		Family:	Liliaceae
Author:	(Miq.)Baker.	Botanical references:	58, 200, 266
Synonyms:	Tulipa graminifolia (Baker. ex S.Moore.), Amana graminifolia ((Baker. ex S.Moore.)A.D.Hall.), Amana edulis ((Miq.)Honda.)
Known Hazards:	Although no records of toxicity have been seen for this species, the bulbs and the flowers of at least one member of this genus have been known to cause dermatitis in sensitive people, though up to 5 bulbs a day of that species can be eaten without ill-effect[65].
Range:	E. Asia - E. China, S. Japan, Korea, Manchuria.
Habitat:	Moist places in meadows in lowlands[58, 178], near rivers and on wooded hillsides[90]. Grassy slopes and hillsides from near sea level to 1700 metres in China[266].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	Orithia oxypetala[H]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Amana [E], Chin Teng [E], Edible Tulip [H], Shan Ci Gu [E], Shan T'Zu Ku [E], Shan Tzu Ku [E],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	edulis = edible
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Liliales. Lily family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China Korea

Physical Characteristics

Bulb growing to 0.15m at a slow rate. It is hardy to zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from March to April, and the seeds ripen from May to June. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds, By Walls, By South Wall, By East Wall.

Edible Uses

Leaves Root.

Bulb - cooked[22, 105]. A source of starch[46, 61]. The bulb can be up to 4cm in diameter[266].
Leaves - cooked[46, 61, 105]. Unless you have more plants than you need this practise is not recommended since it will greatly weaken the plant[K].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antidote Antipyretic Cancer Depurative Expectorant Febrifuge Laxative.

The inner portion of the bulb is antidote, antipyretic, depurative, expectorant, febrifuge and laxative[147, 218]. It is used, mainly as a poultice, in the treatment of ulcers and abscesses[147].
The plant has been used in the treatment of cancer[218].
The leaves are applied externally to abscesses, buboes and breast diseases[218].
The flowers are used in the treatment of dysuria[218].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Easily grown in a well-drained soil in a sunny position[1, 90].
This species is not fully hardy in Britain, the plants come into growth in the winter and need protection from severe weather and so are best grown in a bulb frame[1]. Plants are dormant in summer but do not require protection from rain[90].
Bulbs can be harvested in June after they have died down and then stored in a cool dry place, being planted out again in October.

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a shady part of the cold frame as soon as it is ripe in early summer[1], or in the early autumn[200]. A spring sowing of stored seed in the greenhouse also succeeds[K]. Sow the seed thinly so that the seedlings can be grown on without disturbance for their first growing season - apply liquid feeds to the pot if necessary. Divide the bulbs once the plants have become dormant, putting 3 - 4 bulbs in each pot. Grow the on in the greenhouse for at least the next year, planting them out when dormant.
Division of offsets in July. Larger bulbs can be planted out straight into their permanent positions, or can be stored in a cool place and then be planted out in late autumn. It is best to pot up smaller bulbs and grow them on in a cold frame for a year before planting them out when they are dormant in late summer to the middle of autumn.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Tulipa graminifolia (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database

References for the family Liliaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[22] Sholto-Douglas. J. Alternative Foods.
Not very comprehensive, it seems more or less like a copy of earlier writings with little added.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[58] Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965
The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[65] Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984 ISBN 0723408394
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.

[90] Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30253-1
Superbly illustrated, it gives brief details on cultivation and native habitat.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[147] ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.

[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[266] Flora of China 1994
On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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