This double early tulip features intensely colored orange flowers that age to tangerine. Introduced in 2003, this is a sport of the yellow-flowered 'Monte Carlo'. With short sturdy stems, it will withstand windy days in late April and early May. For good displays tulips should be planted close together in masses, rather than in lines like soldiers. Like all tulips, 'Orca' is at best a short-lived perennial in the flower garden. Its lifespan can be extended if it is planted among herbaceous perennials and shrubs whose water uptake from the soils in summer helps prevent the bulbs from rotting.