Illustration
Princess Irene
Tulipa 'Princess Irene'
Princess Irene blooms from April through April.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Princess Irene
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 3–8. Expect it to reach about 14 in tall and 6 in wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year (a house reading).
Is Princess Irene toxic to dogs or cats?
- Listed as toxic to dogs and cats by NC State Extension, Pet Poison Helpline and Royal Horticultural Society.
- Listed as poisonous to people by Royal Horticultural Society.
Lists differ and none is complete. If a pet eats a plant and seems unwell, call a veterinarian or a pet poison helpline.
What was checked
Nine facts were checked against named botanical sources, each recorded beside the sources that carried it: mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun, water, bloom months and color, the trait tags, and years to mature size, which rests on a recorded house rule where no publisher states one and is marked so. Soil, diseases, pests, toxicity and the plant's own names have not yet been read for this plant, and its trait tags are the ones a feature uses rather than every word a page prints. Each fact above carries its own mark. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Princess Irene
Princess Irene is a fall-planted bulb: get it in the ground 6 to 8 weeks before the ground freezes, typically September or October in zone 5, the middle of its hardy zones 3 to 8. It pays you back the following April.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 5, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 5 in September. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Princess Irene get?
14 intall5 ft 7 inan adult6 inwideSee Princess Irene in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
Where these facts come from
Princess Irene's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun, water, bloom months and color and trait tags were checked against 8 published sources on October 20, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Brent and Becky's Bulbsheight, hardiness zones, sun, water and bloom months and color
- burpee.comBurpeeheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and bloom months and color
- promessedefleurs.iePromesse de Fleursheight, spread, hardiness zones, water and bloom months and color
- John Scheepersheight, hardiness zones, bloom months and color and trait tags
- RHSRoyal Horticultural Societyheight, sun, bloom months and color and trait tags
- Iowa State University Extensionand Outreachbloom months and color
- Missouri Botanical Gardensun and water
- NC State Extensionsun and water
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Good to know about Princess Irene
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
Mildly toxic: eaten, tulips sicken dogs, cats and horses, and handling the bulbs can raise a rash called 'tulip fingers'. The bulb is the worst part. per ASPCA
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Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.