Plant guide
Tulip
Tulipa spp.
Tulips are considered toxic to cats. Eating them can cause vomiting, diarrhea, drooling and reduced activity. The bulbs contain the greatest concentration of toxic compounds.
What this guide covers: This is a genus-level guide to Tulipa spp., the group named in the cat-safety source. The assessment concerns the whole plant, including the bulbs, and does not provide a separate rating for individual species or cultivars.
Photo:
Photo details
Tulipa suaveolens floriade to Canberra.jpg
By John O'Neill
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Source edited by Fir0002 for John O’Neill. Resized and converted to WebP for display; botanical details unchanged.
This displayed image is shared under the same CC BY-SA 3.0 license.
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Photo:
Photo details
Tulipa suaveolens floriade to Canberra.jpg
By John O'Neill
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Source edited by Fir0002 for John O’Neill. Resized and converted to WebP for display; botanical details unchanged.
This displayed image is shared under the same CC BY-SA 3.0 license.
Red tulip bulbs
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Keep away from cats. We do not recommend this plant for a home where cats could reach it.
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Look for Tulipa spp. and check the selected variety. Listings and availability can change.
Plant identity
- Scientific name
- Tulipa spp.
- Scope
- Genus-level group
- Family
- Not recorded
- Also known as
- No reviewed aliases available
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How to grow this plant
General Tulipa growing and forced-container guidance. Cultivars and forcing schedules differ.
- Light
- Sunny position
Outdoor bulbs need a sunny position. Forced indoor pots need bright light once shoots develop.
- Watering
- Keep evenly moist
Keep actively growing bulbs evenly moist with good drainage; avoid a waterlogged pot.
- Temperature
- Seasonal display: 60–70°F / 16–21°C
The 60-70°F (16-21°C) range applies to the bright indoor stage after chilling and a cool transition, not year-round growth.
- Potting
- Use fertile, well-drained soil or a suitable draining bulb container.
- Through the year
- Leave foliage until it yellows naturally. Indoor forcing requires a separate chilling phase before display.
Growing-guide sources
- tulipa - Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗NC State Extension · Accessed 2026-10-13
Care guidance for the named taxon; indoor recommendations take precedence over outdoor hardiness information.
- Fall Garden Tasks - forcing spring-flowering bulbs ↗Iowa State University Extension and Outreach · Accessed 2026-10-13
The warm indoor display stage follows chilling and a cool transition. The temperature is not a hardiness or storage limit.
Growing advice reviewed 2026-10-14. Plant safety is assessed separately.
Reviewed safety information
- Toxic principle
- Tulipalin A and B
- Reported signs
- Vomiting; Diarrhea; Drooling; Reduced activity
- Severity
- Severity not established
Missing information is unknown. It should not be interpreted as an absence of risk.
Safe alternatives
No verified alternative recommendations are available for this guide.