Inside Minnesota’s Largest Tulip Farm
- Diana Pierce
- Apr 2
- 2 min read
Even in the dead of winter, Spring is blooming inside Len Busch Roses in Plymouth, Minnesota, where millions of tulips grow hydroponically—without soil, just water and nutrients.
John Stoy, Cut Flower Manager, says the process starts a year in advance, coordinating with a bulb supplier in the Netherlands. The bulbs arrive in October, are stored just above freezing, and later placed in 40-degree rooting coolers for two weeks. Once rooted, they move to the greenhouse, where 10,000 tulips per row bloom in just two to three weeks before harvest.
At peak production in mid-February, Len Busch Roses harvests up to 463,000 tulips per week, shipping to 200-300 locations across a five-state area. The Midwest, Stoy says, is a prime tulip market, with people craving fresh color after long winters.
"The flowers we grow here are cut fresh. They don’t have to survive a long journey across the country," Stoy explains. "That makes a difference in how long they last once they reach the store."
This year, the most popular tulip colors are pink (1,060,000), yellow (930,000), and orange (876,000), making up nearly half the crop. While classic single-petal tulips remain the favorite, they also grow parrot, double-petal, and fringed varieties.
Together, those three colors make up about half of their total crop.
"Classic single-petal tulips in bright colors always do well," Stoy says. "But we also grow some specialty varieties—parrot tulips, double-petal, fringed edges. There’s just so much variety."
And that variety is what keeps people coming back.
"Tulips are kind of amazing," Stoy says. "You can never run out of new colors, new shapes. There’s always something different."
By the time these tulips reach stores, they still have at least a week of life left—plenty of time to brighten a kitchen table, a desk, or a Mother’s Day bouquet.
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"People are just ready for spring," Stoy says. "A vase of fresh tulips is often all it takes."
Here is some Tulip Trivia and the meaning of tulip colors:
Pink Tulips – Affection, happiness, and good wishes. They’re great for expressing care without romantic intent.
Yellow Tulips – Cheerfulness and hope. While they once symbolized unrequited love, they now represent happiness and friendship.
Orange Tulips – Enthusiasm, energy, and warmth. A vibrant choice to express excitement and admiration.
Which color is your favorite? Please let me know.
Whatever color you choose, here's wishing you a wonderful assortment of tulips in your vase.
Diana Pierce
Diana Pierce Photography
Note: all images- Diana Pierce
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