A couple of weeks ago, I saw these pretty tulips in the grocery store. I had been looking for something to bring the Spring into my house, especially since we had been buried in snow for several days. They were only $4, too, which made it such an easy decision - thus, these purple tulips came home with me! They weren’t open when I bought them but they quickly bloomed, revealing a decadent and royal purple. As a wonderful synchronicity, they fully bloomed on the Spring Equinox, a wonderful sign that I made the right choice in bringing these wonderful flowers into my kitchen.
Now, though, they are on their way out. I knew they wouldn’t last forever and the petals are quickly falling from the stem. Ever the witch, I wanted to know what I could do with tulip petals and how they could be used in my practice, if at all.
A Tulip’s Life
The only time I have ever seen tulips was in gardens that weren’t my own. Naturally, I didn’t know the first thing about tulips or keeping them alive. I’m the kind of witch who likes to know everything about what I’m using or growing and the tulips are no different!
Tulips have been hard to classify because of a long history of cultivation, but they are part of the lily family, Liliaceae. There are actually about 75 different species of tulips - something I didn’t even know! The name “tulip” is thought to come from the Turkish word for “turban”, tülbent, which comes from the Persian word dulband, meaning “round.” The flowers were originally found in Southern Europe and Central Asia, but they’ve been widely naturalized and cultivated around the world. Tulips flower in the Spring but become dormant in the summer once the flowers and leaves die back.
Tulips in Witchcraft
I had never heard of tulips being used in witchcraft so I went on the hunt for information. I have found that overall, tulips are associated with protection, love, and prosperity!
If you’re having problems attracting and keeping a lover, place a tulip bulb on your altar. It will expand your ability to connect with the power of love. When you are fully aware of the sea of love you are always swimming in, fear is no longer an issue and you will be able to attract love and release fear.
– The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Magical Plants by Susan Gregg
Learn Religions has a list of properties for several different varieties of tulips.
- Queen of the Night: This tulip variety is a deep purple, so dark that it’s often mistaken for black. Use it in full moon rituals, for workings related to power and ambition, or even for banishing spells.
- Princess Irene: This standard tulip variety appears primarily in shades of orange and red. Use the red flowers for workings related to love magic. Orange is associated with attraction and encouragement, so if there’s someone or something you want to draw into your life–perhaps to encourage affections–use the petals and stems of the orange Irenes.
- Leen Van Der Mark: Available in yellows and reds. Plant yellow ones near your front door and under windowsills to protect your home and its inhabitants from those who would cause harm.
- Pim Fortuyn Triumph: This white tulip comes in handy for any sort of rituals having to do with purity or cleansing. Place cut Pims in vases around your house each spring, to bring a fresh and clean feeling to your entire home as part of your spring-cleaning process.
Apart from their association with love, tulips also project other positives energies such as prosperity and protection. They were often worn to safeguard against poverty and bad luck. Because of the wide variations in colors, tulips can be used in a variety of color magic, including prosperity and protection spells.
Tulip can be used in a number of spells including:
Love Spells and Potions
Luck Magic
Protection Magic
Overall, I think I will keep the petals of my tulip flowers to use in a love spell! If that doesn’t work out, then they will be good to help protect my love and relationships in my home.
Have you ever used tulips in your magickal practice? I would love to hear all about it! I am making a lot of notes in my grimoire about these beautiful flowers.
They’re such pretty flowers. I think I might even have some coming up in my yard, though I can’t be sure yet. There are little green buds poking out in several places that look just like tulip leaves!
I also think I’ll get the book!
That picture is gorgeous 
Maybe it’s for people getting off the flight to buy flowers for the people they’re going to see? Who knows! But they’re pretty - and I love that it’s called House of Tulips lol
