Herbertia pulchella

Tulipa pulchella is a dwarf botanical tulip, closely related to and sometimes considered a variant of Tulipa humilis, native to the mountains of the Near and Middle East. It is among the earliest tulips to flower, its violet-pink star-shaped blooms with a dark centre opening as early as late winter, well before the main flush of garden tulips. Small in stature, it suits rockeries and pots. It needs full sun, well-drained soil, and a dry summer rest.