Tulip Shrenka: description and place of growth. What is the difference between Schulk's tulip and Bieberstein's tulip?

All the modern species diversity of tulips is the result of the work of breeders, who for many years from several original species created new unique colors and forms. One of the founders of all varieties is just the Schulk tulip.

The legend of the tulip

True or not, but once upon a time people thought that happiness was concentrated in the very center of a beautiful yellow tulip . Only trouble was that the bud could not be opened. And once an amazing flower fell into the hands of a little boy, the tulip opened, revealing beauty to the world. Only a person with a pure heart and soul, like a baby, is able to find happiness.

In honor of whom is the tulip named?

His name is due to the scientist and traveler Alexander Ivanovich Shrenk. Or, as some sources call it, Alexander Gustav von Schrenk. He was of Russian origin (he was from Tula province), and yet he is often perceived as a German scientist. Traveling, he collected a lot of materials on zoology, botany and mineralogy. Including in 1873, he discovered a new plant - a fragile and bright tulip, which later received his name. Later, he worked as a teacher for many years at the University of Drept (now Tartu, Estonia).

Tulip Schrenka: description

Wild varieties of tulips are of medium size. But Schrenk's tulip boasts distinctive large features. It has a very miniature egg-shaped bulb, 1.5-2 cm in diameter. But the plant itself grows to 30-40 centimeters in height. It has green leaves with a light blue shade of lanceolate form, slightly wavy, usually 3 or 4, the lower one always larger than the others.

The flower has a fairly variable shape, most often a cup-shaped bottom and six petals, pointed at the end, like lilies. Unlike artificially bred varieties, it has a light and pleasant aroma. The size of the flower is 7 centimeters in height. Color can be different: red, orange, yellow, snow-white and even almost purple, there are also variegated forms. Tulip Shrenka refers to medium-tulip tulips, blooms from the end of April and all May. It multiplies in nature by seeds that ripen in sufficient quantity in June.

Places of growth

In Russia this species of wild tulips grows in the steppes, semi-deserts and deserts of the European part of the country, as well as in Central Asia and Western Siberia. This plant - calcefil, if translated verbatim - loving lime. Flowers grow on soils rich in various calcium compounds. Lean on vegetation in summer, in the spring the steppes are covered with a real bright carpet, akin to Persian, full of bright colors and delicate scents.

Outside of our country, the Schrenk tulip is distributed in the south-eastern part of Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Northern Iran, Central Asia and China.

Tulips of Schrenk in the Orenburg region

To meet the Schulk tulip in the Orenburg region is a common thing. Uniting in itself parts of the European plain, the south of the Urals and the Trans-Ural, a vast area is rich in steppes, where this species grows. Tulip Shrenka is a blossoming symbol of the Orenburg region. Compare the spring thick aroma that fills the steppe air, when whole hectares bloom, it is impossible with nothing. The Red Book area also puts him under protection. But they love and appreciate the tulip not only there.

In the Volgograd region in 2009, a natural monument was established, which has a regional significance - Kurnaevsky tulip meadow. It is located in a very large area of 418 hectares. Its special value is due to the fact that rare and rare plants grow there, including the Schröck tulip. The authorities of the region as much as possible limit the anthropogenic influence of the environment on this territory in order to preserve the biosystem in its original form.

Tulips of Biberstein

This is another kind of wild-growing tulips, which was discovered by the German botanist Friedrich Bieberstein and named after him. According to the shape of the flower and the remaining external phenotypic features, they are very similar to the Schrenk variety. But there are two significant differences. Firstly, Biberstein tulips are always bright yellow color and no other, while their closest relatives are full of colors, like a kaleidoscope. In addition, the flowers are slightly smaller, with an average length of up to 3 centimeters. Secondly, they multiply well not only by seeds, but also by daughter bulbs, which allows them to reproduce the population fairly quickly. In Russia, they can be found in the Volga region, the Caucasus, Kalmykia, Western Siberia. But in the Rostov region they are listed in the regional Red Book.

Is it possible to plant such a tulip at home?

From the legal point of view, you can not plant a Schröck tulip in your garden. The Red Book of Russia classifies it as rare and endangered species of plants, whose population in wildlife is sharply reduced. Bulbs of this species are forbidden to dig up and sell, in addition, you can not tear flowers, as this is directly related to the extinction of the plant (the seeds do not ripen). For violations there are penalties and fines. Buying such bulbs from dishonest sellers, remember this and that it is better to keep these flowers in the wild and let them enjoy not only us, but our descendants.

The preservation of the Schrenk tulip in Ukraine and Kazakhstan is also taken under state control, it is listed in the Red Books of these states.