Of all the bulbous plants, the tulip is without a doubt the most popular. Generally the cup or star-shaped tulip flower has three petals and three sepals, which are often termed tepals because they are nearly identical. These six tepals are often marked on the interior surface near the bases with darker colorings The tulip's leaf is strap-shaped, with a waxy coating, and the leaves are alternately arranged on the stem these fleshy blades are often bluish green in color. Most tulips produce only one flower per stem