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Schrenck's tulip is a rare perennial herb belonging to the Liliaceae family, genus Tulip. Recognized as an endangered species and listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation in 1988. It got its name in honor of the traveler and scientist A.I.Shrenk. It was first discovered in the vicinity of the city of Ishim. The plant was described by the botanist Regel Yu. L. in 1893. Another name is the Gesner tulip
Description of Schrenk tulips
It is a bulbous plant that grows to a height of 15-40 cm. The bulb is oval, small: up to 3 cm in diameter. On its surface you can see dark, hard leathery scales.
The peduncle stem is green, reddish at the top, leafless. At its base there are 3-4 oblong or lanceolate dark green leaves with corrugated edges. All of them are without cuttings, sessile, slightly twisted around the stem.
The perianth consists of six small rounded leaves
Flower type - cupped-lily. The bud is large - up to 5 cm in diameter and about 8 cm in length. The petals are bright, pointed. In the center of the flower are filamentous dark purple or yellow anthers and stamens that appear as a tuft. There may be a yellow spot inside the bud.
Even in one population, the buds differ in a variety of colors: from pure white to purple, and can also be red and yellow. At the base, the petals are yellowish or dark brown, but sometimes this so-called bottom spot is not present.
The plant belongs to ephemeroids. This means that it has a short growing season. The active flowering period begins at the end of April and lasts approximately 2 weeks. After about a month, the fruit ripens. It is a triangular ellipsoidal or round box with seeds. There are about 240-250 of them.
Where does Schrenck's tulip grow?
The plant is found in low-lying areas, on plains, foothills at an altitude of 600 m above sea level. Prefers calcareous and chalky soils with a high calcium and salt content. Inhabits the zone of semi-deserts and steppes, mainly wormwood-cereals.
Distribution area - Iran, China, northern and western parts of Kazakhstan, northern Central Asia, Ukraine. In Russia, it grows in the southern and southeastern regions: Voronezh, Saratov, Volgograd, Astrakhan, Rostov regions, in the south of Samara and Orenburg, in Kalmykia, Krasnodar and Stavropol territories, the North Caucasus.
The plant prefers places with a sharply continental climate - hot summers and cold winters. It is in such conditions that its normal development and flowering is ensured.
Why is Schrenck's tulip listed in the Red Book
The tulip is listed in the Red Book not only in Russia, but also in Ukraine and Kazakhstan. It is subject to protection by the state, since it is on the verge of extinction: the area of its distribution is decreasing, the conditions of natural selection are violated. This is due to human activities: uncontrolled cattle grazing, plowing virgin lands, soil pollution by industrial emissions, as well as plucking bouquets during the flowering period.
In our country, Schrenck's tulip grows mainly in nature reserves, which makes it easier to preserve
Is it possible to grow a Schrenck (Gesner) tulip
Growing a tulip outside of its natural environment is very problematic.
They try to cultivate the plant in botanical gardens, but attempts to reproduce most often end in failure.
Experts identify several reasons why it makes no sense to grow a tulip in the garden:
- It can only be propagated by seeds.
- In the first years of life, it grows extremely slowly.
- A newly planted tulip will bloom for the first time in about 6 years (the timing will depend on soil moisture), but it is possible that this will never happen.
- After the dying off of the bulb at the end of the season, only one baby is formed, which, if it blooms, then after 6 years.
- It is not recommended to grow it as a houseplant: it is impossible to ensure its correct development at home.
- He needs a soil with a high salt content. On the soil of the gardens, which is much softer than the steppe, the plant loses its characteristic features and becomes more like ordinary tulips.
After germination of the seed, the Gesner tulip goes a very long way of formation:
- First year. An onion is formed. It sinks into the ground to a depth of 3 cm. The aboveground part during this period consists of one cotyledonous leaf, which will be replaced by normal leaves only in the second year.
- From the second year. The bulb gradually deepens, a petiole leaf appears.
- Upon reaching the breeding age, a tulip sprouts 3 normal leaves, and then a peduncle appears. Flowering depends on moisture: during a drought, single specimens will bloom, with sufficient moisture, the steppe is covered with a beautiful carpet of tulips. The seed pod appears 2 weeks after the start of flowering. The fruiting period is 32 days. The box ripens, gradually dries up, then opens. Seeds that have burst out are scattered by the wind over long distances.
- The end of the growing season. During this period, drying begins and further dying off of the mother bulb. Instead, a new one begins to form, and this process goes into a period of rest.
Photo of tulip Schrenk
Schrenck's tulip is considered one of the most beautiful steppe plants.
At the same time, red, yellow, white, pale pink, lilac, variegated tulips appear
Under favorable conditions during the flowering period, the steppe looks like a real carpet, consisting of copies of different shades.
Shades can be of all kinds - from white to bright red
Some specimens can combine several shades at once.
Conclusion
Schrenck's tulip is an endangered steppe flower, one of the oldest species of this plant. It is believed that he became the progenitor of many varieties bred by breeders.
