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Schrenk's tulip is a rare perennial herbaceous plant 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 received 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 botanist Yu. L. Regel in 1893. Another name is Gesner tulip
Description of Schrenk's tulips
This is a bulbous plant that grows in height up to 15-40 cm. The bulb is oval, small: up to 3 cm in diameter. Dark, hard, leathery scales can be seen on its surface.
The stem-peduncle is green, reddish at the top, leafless. At its base there are 3-4 oblong or lanceolate dark green leaves with grooved edges. All of them are without cuttings, sessile, slightly twisted around the stem.
The perianth consists of six small rounded leaves
Flower type: cup-shaped lily. The bud is large - reaches 5 cm in diameter and about 8 cm in length. The petals are bright and pointed. In the center of the flower are thread-like dark purple or yellow anthers and stamens that appear in a tuft. There may be a yellow spot inside the bud.
Even within a single population, buds vary in color, 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 absent.
The plant belongs to the ephemeroids. This means that it has a short growing season. The time for active flowering 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 the Schrenk tulip grow?
The plant is found in low-lying areas, on plains, foothills at an altitude of up to 600 m above sea level. Prefers calcareous and chalky soils with a high content of calcium and salts. It lives in the zone of semi-deserts and steppes, mainly wormwood-grass.
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, and 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 are ensured.
Why is the Schrenk 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 state protection because it is on the verge of extinction: its distribution area is decreasing, and the conditions of natural selection are being violated. This is due to human activity: uncontrolled grazing of livestock, plowing of virgin lands, soil pollution by emissions from industrial enterprises, as well as picking bouquets during the flowering period.
In our country, the Schrenck tulip grows mainly in nature reserves, which facilitates its conservation
Is it possible to grow a Schrenck (Gesner) tulip?
Growing a tulip outside its natural environment is very problematic.
They are trying to cultivate the plant in botanical gardens, but attempts at propagation 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 bulb dies at the end of the season, only one baby is formed, which, if it blooms, will do so after 6 years.
- It is not recommended to grow it as a houseplant: it is impossible to ensure its proper development at home.
- It needs soil with a high salt content. On garden soil, which is much softer than steppe soil, the plant loses its characteristic features and becomes more like ordinary tulips.
After seed germination, the Gesner tulip goes through a very long path of formation:
- First year. A bulb is formed. It is buried into the ground to a depth of 3 cm.The aerial part during this period consists of one cotyledon leaf, which will be replaced by normal ones only in the second year.
- From the second year. The bulb gradually deepens and a petiole leaf appears.
- Upon reaching the age of reproduction, the tulip sprouts 3 normal leaves, and then a peduncle appears. Flowering depends on moisture: during drought, single specimens will bloom; with sufficient moisture, the steppe is covered with a beautiful carpet of tulips. The seed capsule appears 2 weeks after the start of flowering. The fruiting period is 32 days. The box ripens, gradually dries out, and then opens. The seeds that escape are scattered by the wind over long distances.
- The end of the growing season. During this period, the mother bulb begins to dry out and subsequently die. Instead, a new one begins to form, and this process enters a period of rest.
Photo of Schrenk's tulip
Schrenk's tulip is considered one of the most beautiful steppe plants.
At the same time, red, yellow, white, soft pink, lilac, and variegated tulips appear
Under favorable conditions during the flowering period, the steppe looks like a real carpet, consisting of specimens of different shades
Shades can be of all kinds - from white to bright red
Some specimens can combine several shades at once
Conclusion
Schrenk'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.
