Schrenck's tulip

Schrenck's tulip: photo

The wild-growing Schrenck tulip in Russia is often referred to as the Gesner tulip. In nature, this graceful flower grows in steppe regions and semi-deserts. A variety of colors brought him popularity: Schrenck's (Gesner's) tulips are snow-white, sunny yellow, bright red, pale pink and darker - purple, burgundy. In the spring, they color the steppe with eye-catching mosaic spots, covering vast areas. Schrenck's tulip is a seemingly fragile plant, in fact, it has an unpretentious character that contributes to its survival in the steppe climate with its harsh winds, cold winters and sweltering summer heat.

Schrenck's tulip: description of the species

What does a Schrenck tulip look like? Photo

The Schrenk tulip variety got its name thanks to the Russian scientist and traveler of German origin Alexander Ivanovich Schrenk, who in the middle of the 19th century participated in a number of expeditions across the territory of the Russian Empire. Among other things, he visited the steppes of Central Asia, where he discovered a bright bud, amazing in its beauty and fragility. Since then, this type of tulip has been worn by a researcher who discovered it.

Schrenck's (Gesner's) tulip grows everywhere in the southeastern regions of the European part of Russia - in the Volga region, in the Volga steppes, on the Caspian territory, in the southeastern part of the Voronezh region. It is also found beyond the Urals, in the vastness of Western Siberia, in the Kalmyk steppes, on the southern coast of Crimea. Abroad, this species is common in the southeastern part of Ukraine, in China, on the territory of Kazakhstan and Iran.

According to the botanical description, the Schrenck (Gesner) tulip is a bulbous ephemeroid - i.e. perennial culture, Liliaceae family, genus Tulip. It can also be classified as a medium flowering species.

This is a short plant up to 0.4 m high and with leaves about 0.2 m long. The straight, smooth stem has a rich green color, which, as it approaches the bud, acquires a dark shade of red, sometimes closer to purple.

The leaves of the Schrenck tulip species are oblong, directed in different directions, green with a grayish-bluish tinge, most often 3-4 per copy. One of them begins at the very bottom, near the ground, the rest surround the stem, rising to the calyx of the bud. The foliage contour is wavy and smooth.

The cup-shaped bud of Schrenck's tulip reaches a height of 7 cm and consists of 4-6 rounded petals from 2.5 to 5.5 cm long. Sometimes they have a slightly pointed shape.

As mentioned above, the color scheme of Schrenck's tulip is quite diverse and includes various shades of red and pink, as well as snow-white and yellow tones. However, plants painted in one color are rare, in most cases the petal color is rather variegated. Typically, the main part of the petal is one color, and the base and edges are different. Such tulips have another telling name - variegated.

The length of the stamens of the Schrenck (Gesner) tulip is two times shorter than the length of the perianth. The bulbs of this species are not large - no more than 3 cm, covered with a dark, slightly skinned membrane, ovoid in shape. The surface of the bulb is covered with gray-brown scaly plates. In the process of growth, it sinks deeply into the ground, bringing only one daughter plant.

Schrenck's tulip: characteristic

Schrenck's tulip: photo

So, the tulip Schrenk (Gesner) has certain characteristics:

• rich color palette, including both monochromatic and variegated color options;
• oblong lanceolate leaves have wavy edges and are usually spread out in different directions;
• it is a mid-flowering plant whose flowers delight the eye from late April to late May;
• reproduction method - seed (the ripening period ends in June);
• the interval between seed germination and first flowering is 6 years.

Reproduction and development

Schrenck's tulip: photo

The flowering process of the Schrenck (Gesner) tulip directly depends on the climate and weather conditions. Snowy winters in severe frosts do not frighten this unpretentious plant. The summer is optimal for him - with a lot of sun, without prolonged rains, with high temperatures.

If conditions are favorable, Schrenck's tulip blooms in April, at the latest in early May. If there is enough moisture in the soil in spring, mass flowering occurs, when numerous buds open simultaneously over large areas. In dry periods, this effect will not occur, since not all bulbs will be able to grow stems.

The flowering period for the Schrenk tulip variety lasts 1-2 weeks. Upon completion, the tulip forms a tricuspid seed capsule about 4 cm high. There can be up to 250 seeds inside. Gradually, it dries up and bursts, the seeds move into the external environment, and then some of them are carried away by the wind, the rest fall to the ground.
If the grain has successfully rooted, the first shoots will appear no earlier than in 6-7 years.

Below is a step-by-step scheme for the development of a Schrenck (Gesner) tulip:

• in the first year of life, a bulb and a leaf of the embryo (cotyledonous) are formed; there is a deepening of the bulb into the ground by 4-5 cm;
• in the second year, immersion in the soil continues, and in place of the cotyledon leaf, a real one is formed;
• for the next 3 years, the bulb increases in size and acquires a couple of leaves;
• in the sixth year, the growing season ends, an adult plant is formed, 3 leaves, a stem, a bud, and seed ovaries appear.

Is growing at home a reality?

Schrenck's tulip: video

Unfortunately, today this unique wild-growing culture is on the brink of destruction. There are several factors that threaten the existence of the Schrenck (Gesner) tulip:

• systematic agricultural work, involving the plowing of land;
• fires destroying vast areas of forests and steppes, which are especially destructive because of the constantly blowing winds in the steppe;
• collection of bulbs for use in medicine and pharmacy;
• the use of steppe territories for pastures, which leads to the trampling of plants;
• soil pollution as a result of harmful emissions from industrial production;
• collecting flowers for commercial purposes.

Due to the constant decline in the population of the Schrenck (Gesner) tulip, it was decided to include this plant in the Red Book. Now this species is prohibited by law from collecting, trampling and collecting for reproduction.

To preserve the rare species in the wild, the following measures are being taken:

• during the flowering period, there are "green patrols" that prevent attempts to collect tulips, or activities that can harm the flowers;
• campaigning in the field of wildlife protection;
• the ban on the collection of Schrenk (Gesner) tulips at all stages of its growth and development - from the bulb to the seed boll;
• penalties have been introduced for violating the bans on the collection of tulips.

To preserve and increase the population of this species, it is bred in botanical gardens. However, along with that, attempts to propagate Schrenck's (Gesner's) tulips are illegal, they are also unproductive. At home, it is almost impossible to create favorable conditions for their cultivation.

Experts say that an attempt to grow a Schrenck tulip in the garden will in most cases be doomed to failure. And there are several reasons for this:

• first of all, the Schrenck (Gesner) tulip reproduces only by seed;
• from the moment the seed takes root until the first flowers appear, it can take 7 years, and it is quite possible that flowering will not occur at all;
• at the end of the season, the original bulb dies, leaving behind one daughter, which will bloom several years later.

Thus, the cultivation of the Tulip Schrenk, listed in the Red Book, at home is not only illegal, but also extremely laborious. All the efforts made may not pay off and flowering will not come.

The way out is to develop hybrid forms, of which there are currently a sufficient number. Breeders declare that they are not inferior in their decorative qualities to the wild-growing original. They can be grown both at home, in a pot, and in the garden, in the open field.

For almost a century and a half, the beautiful inhabitant of the Central Asian steppes discovered by Alexander Ivanovich Shrenk continues to conquer the hearts of flower growers with its fragile beauty and richness of bright colors. Due to the fact that Schrenck's Tulip is listed in the Red Book, we will probably be able to preserve this precious living decoration of the steppes and deserts.