How to grow hyacinths in soil at home? The basic care method is very simple
Hyacinths can be grown either in water or in soil. Although water-grown hyacinths look prettier and more succulent, they can only survive for 2-3 years. By comparison, growing hyacinths in soil is relatively simpler and better suited to people who are usually busy but still love growing flowers
Hyacinths can be grown either in water or in soil. Although water-grown hyacinths look prettier and more succulent, they can only survive for 2-3 years. By comparison, growing hyacinths in soil is relatively simpler and better suited to people who are usually busy but still love growing flowers. Below, the editor will introduce the soil-growing method for hyacinths, and also share some natural fertilizers for growing hyacinths.
Soil
Planting is best done in November, as it is easier to manage, and they will roughly bloom after 120 days, which is around the Spring Festival.
Hyacinths like loose, sandy soil. When planting, we can put some eggshells and plant ash at the bottom of the pot. The base fertilizer in the soil must be sufficient, and then plant the bulbs.
Watering
Right after planting, there is no need to water. Wait until sprouts appear before watering. Give them plenty of sun and just keep the soil moist.
This allows the hyacinths to root as quickly as possible. After rooting, water once every 4 or 5 days.
Light
Hyacinths love light. Usually, you can give them plenty of sun, which is key, so they can bloom quickly; otherwise, the buds may not develop well. You can also mist them morning and evening to keep them moist, which is also a little trick to help them bloom faster.
Fertilizing
After the flowers bloom, apply a thin fertilizer once every two weeks. Usually, you can use rice-washing water or tea water to water the flowers, which can also provide them with some nutrients.
The above are the daily care methods for growing hyacinths in soil at home. Isn't it very simple? Hurry up and plant some! For more related information, please keep following Huayugu Web!
These 16 kinds of flowers die the more you water them in winter. Leave them alone for 3 months, and instead they grow taller!
70% of flowers that die in winter die because of overwatering.
On the one hand, some flowers are naturally drought-tolerant, and overwatering easily kills them.
On the other hand, some flowers go dormant in winter,
and overwatering also easily kills them.
So today I will tell everyone
which flowers need controlled watering in winter.
Money Tree Most money trees are killed by watering.
Especially in winter, money trees are not cold-tolerant,
and are already prone to yellow leaves.
If you then pour water on them heavily, root rot and freezing to death are guaranteed!
How to care for a money tree in winter?
1. In winter, a money tree only needs watering once a month,
but if the temperature is below 3 degrees, watering must be stopped completely.
Don't worry about drying it to death;
it won't die even if it goes 2 months without water.
2. If the winter temperature is too low, you can cover it with a plastic bag to keep it warm.
In addition,
do not put it next to a radiator or on a floor with underfloor heating.
Clivia
Clivia has fleshy roots and a strong water-storage capacity,
so too much watering will instead easily cause root rot.
Moreover, in winter, when the temperature is below 8, it stops growing,
and below 5 degrees it is very easily frostbitten, so watering should be controlled even more in winter.
How to care for Clivia in winter?
1. Clivia should be kept dry in winter.
Above 10 degrees, it can be watered once every 10-15 days;
below 10 degrees, it can be watered once every 1-2 months or simply cut off from water.
If it is too dry, just mist the leaf surface at noon, and do not spray the leaf center.
2. Winter is the bud-forming period for Clivia,
so it should be placed on a south-facing balcony or south-facing windowsill,
to get more sunlight and accumulate nutrients, so it can bloom in spring.
Snake Plant
Snake plants are an extremely common flower in homes and offices.
Its leaves are firm, its flowers are charming, and it is drought-tolerant and easy to grow.
Even if left alone for 2 months, it won't die.
Moreover, it also absorbs formaldehyde
and purifies the air, making it excellent for the living room or bedroom.
How to care for a snake plant in winter?
1. Its root system is relatively sparse and thin,
and it fears waterlogging but tolerates drought, so it should be watered less, especially in winter.
If the lowest temperature at home is below 5 degrees,
watering once every 1-2 months is enough.
If the lowest temperature is above 5 degrees, it can be watered 1-2 times a month.
2. In winter, try to place the snake plant in a spot with sufficient light.
This not only helps the snake plant resist low temperatures,
but also helps it grow faster!
Jasmine
When the winter temperature is below 5 degrees, jasmine will go dormant.
At this time, watering must be strictly controlled.
If you still pour water on it heavily as usual,
then the jasmine will definitely be watered to death or frozen to death.
How to care for jasmine in winter?
1. Strictly control watering. When you see that the potting soil is very dry
and has cracks, then at noon,
use a syringe to inject a little clear water into the cracks.
Do not water thoroughly,
and even more so do not let water accumulate, otherwise root rot will happen in no time.
2. Jasmine should not be heavily pruned in winter, otherwise it will sprout in winter and freeze to death.
Do not fertilize either.
If the temperature is below 0°C, cover the plant with a plastic bag to keep it warm.
Osmanthus
Potted osmanthus is also a difficult one to overwinter.
Basically, do not carry out too many operations,
especially watering.
You must control your watering hands; once you water it to death, regret will be too late!
How to care for osmanthus in winter?
1. Below 0 degrees, stop watering completely. Above 0 degrees,
then watering 1-2 times a month is fine. Do not let your hands get restless:
water a little today,
water a little tomorrow, and after all this watering, the osmanthus will be dead!
2. Do not prune heavily in winter, as it easily consumes nutrients.
Wait until early spring to prune heavily.
When it is warm, you can mist the leaf surface or the surrounding area to keep it moist.
Succulents
Succulents are actually very easy to grow, but some people often kill them.
Most of the time it is because they water them too frequently.
In fact, succulents themselves are very drought-tolerant.
How to care for succulents in winter?
1. Succulent leaves have a very strong water-storage capacity,
so they do not need frequent watering.
In winter, if the lowest temperature at home is below 5 degrees,
then water once a month or stop watering completely.
Even if not watered for 2 months, they will not die.
2. If the lowest temperature at home is above 8 degrees,
then water normally, 2-3 times a month is enough.
Better less than more;
watering less will not kill them. In winter, let succulents get more sun.
Bulb flowers such as amaryllis and hyacinths
In winter, soil-grown bulb flowers such as amaryllis and hyacinths
are drought-tolerant and must not be overwatered,
because the bulbs themselves store a lot of water.
If overwatered, the excess water cannot drain away,
and it is very easy to rot the roots and bulbs.
How to care for bulb flowers such as amaryllis and hyacinths in winter?
1. If the temperature at home is above 0 degrees,
then water only after the pot surface turns white, 1-3 times a month; if the temperature is below 0 degrees,
then water once every 1-2 months.
They will not die, but too much water will instead easily freeze them to death!
2. After bulb flowers sprout,
give them more sun. If the temperature is suitable, you can water a bit more.
Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea is not cold-tolerant, and temperatures below 5 degrees easily cause frost damage.
Therefore,
in winter you must be a bit lazy; watering too frequently will harm it!
How to care for bougainvillea in winter?
1. Let the potting soil dry out a bit; watering once or twice a month is enough.
If the temperature drops below 0°C,
it freezes easily and damages the roots, so cut off water entirely.
2. For potted bougainvillea, if you overwinter it indoors,
the temperature had best not exceed 15°C,
otherwise it won't bloom well the next year and is also prone to frost damage.
Rose
In winter, roses are best kept outdoors to experience the cold,
letting them go dormant naturally and undergo vernalization,
so they will bloom next year.
During dormancy, watering must be strictly controlled.
How do you care for roses in winter?
1. Roses overwintered outdoors in winter need no watering.
For those overwintered indoors, once you see the potting soil is dry,
water once a month, without soaking the soil through.
Of course, if the temperature drops below 0°C, don't water at all.
2. Roses need heavy pruning in winter.
Small seedlings kept indoors don't need pruning; for woody medium-sized plants over 2 years old, cut off half the branches.
For large plants, just leave 10 cm of branches above the potting soil.
If overwintering indoors, do not exceed 10°C.
If overwintering outdoors, you can bury the pot in wind-sheltered soil.
As long as the temperature doesn't stay below -10°C for long periods, they can overwinter safely.
Gardenia
Gardenias like acidic soil and can't tolerate cold; they are already rather hard to grow in the north,
especially in winter. Although they normally like water,
in winter you can strictly control watering,
otherwise they will struggle to survive the winter.
How do you care for gardenias in winter?
1. For overwintering, it's best to keep them between 0-12°C,
letting them go dormant and keeping the potting soil dry.
Watering once or twice a month is enough.
2. Don't prune heavily in winter; leave as many leaves as possible to store nutrients.
Ensure bright, indirect light.
Prune heavily again in early spring, so they will bloom more the next year.
Orchid
Orchids are also not easy to grow in winter.
When the temperature drops below 4°C, they enter dormancy.
At this time,
if you don't water properly, one careless mistake and they can easily die!
How do you care for orchids in winter?
1. If the temperature is below 10°C, control watering.
Water once or twice a month; for 3-4 days after watering, the temperature must not drop below 4°C.
If the temperature falls below 4°C, cut off water entirely.
Orchids have fleshy roots; they won't die even without water for 2 months.
2. Keep them in a spot with good light as much as possible and let them get plenty of sun
to raise the temperature.
If it drops below 4°C, cover them with a plastic bag to keep them warm.
Desert Rose
Just hearing the word "desert," you know it's very drought-tolerant.
Too much water easily causes root rot, and in winter, if the temperature drops below 0°C,
it enters dormancy,
is prone to frost damage, and watering must be even more strictly controlled.
How do you care for desert roses in winter?
1. If the temperature at home stays above 5°C,
just keep to the watering frequency of not watering until the soil is dry.
If the temperature at home drops below 5°C, then control watering:
water once a month,
or once every 2 months is fine; it won't die of drought.
2. Let it get as much sun as possible.
Ensure ample light, otherwise it easily gets sick.
Jade Plant (Jade Tree)
The jade plant, also called the jade tree, has thick leaves
with a strong water-storing ability; it is also a type of succulent.
However, its plant form is larger than other flowers, it's drought-tolerant, and very easy to grow.
How do you care for jade plants in winter?
1. Basically, just pinch off a branch or pull off a leaf and stick it in soil and it will live;
it won't die even without water for 2 months.
In winter, if the lowest temperature at home is below 5°C,
water once a month or cut off water; if above 5°C,
water twice a month; of course, watering less won't kill it either.
2. In winter, don't put the jade plant on heated floors
or next to radiators, as this easily causes root rot.
Cast Iron Plant
The cast iron plant is a real champion among easy-to-grow flowers,
super shade-tolerant and drought-tolerant. It can also absorb formaldehyde,
hydrogen fluoride and other pollutants,
and trap dust. Put it in the living room or bedroom; it stays green year-round and is especially easy to grow.
How do you care for cast iron plants in winter?
1. If the lowest temperature at home is below 0°C, cut off water entirely.
If the lowest temperature at home is above 5°C,
you can water once every 1-2 weeks.
Of course, it won't die without water for 1 month either.
2. Although the cast iron plant is shade-tolerant,
in winter it's still best to put it somewhere with better light
and mist its leaves more often; it will grow faster.
Aloe
Aloe is also a standout among drought-tolerant flowers.
It has thick leaves that not only store water to resist drought
but also absorb formaldehyde, sulfur dioxide and other pollutants.
It's a little indoor pollution-fighting expert.
In winter, when indoor air is stale, keeping a pot is just right!
How do you care for aloe in winter?
1. Aloe is drought-tolerant; normally going 2-3 months without water is no problem at all.
In winter, if the lowest temperature at home is below 5°C,
you can water once a month or cut off water.
If the lowest temperature is above 5°C,
and you want it to grow faster, you can water twice a month.
2. Aloe's cold tolerance is not strong.
In winter, move it indoors for care
and ensure the lowest temperature stays above 0°C, while giving it plenty of sun.
Cactus (Ball Cactus)
There's no need to say much about how easy ball cacti are to grow.
One flower lover left her ball cactus outdoors for 6 years
and never watered it;
living on whatever the sky provided, it still grew just fine.
How do you care for ball cacti in winter?
1. Water less. If the lowest temperature at home is below 0°C,
cut off water entirely; 2-3 months or even half a year is no problem.
If the lowest temperature is above 5°C,
water once or twice a month.
2. In winter, let ball cacti get plenty of sun to store nutrients;
they'll grow faster and rounder.
If light is insufficient, they easily become leggy and very ugly.
Tulip Tulipa Tulip Guide: How to Grow Tulips / How to Propagate Tulips
Tulip ProfileTulip Tulipa
Aliases: foreign lotus, grass musk, tulip fragrance, dry lotus, red-blue flower, purple narrative fragrance
Classification: Bulbous flowers
Family and Genus: Plantae, Angiosperms, Monocotyledons, Liliales, Liliaceae, Tulipa
Peak blooming season: Spring
Tulip is a herbaceous plant of the genus Tulipa in the family Liliaceae, and is the national flower of Turkey, Kazakhstan and the Netherlands. English names: Flower of Common Tulip, Flower of Late Tulip. Traditional Chinese medicine names: Yujinxiang in "Bencao Shiyi"; Yujinxiang in "Taiping Yulan"; Honglanhua and Zishuxiang in "Gangmu". The tulip has 3-5 leaves, linear-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate; the flower is solitary and terminal, large and showy; the tepals are red or mixed with white and yellow, sometimes white or yellow, 5-7 cm long and 2-4 cm wide; the 6 stamens are equal in length...
Tulip cultivation methods and precautions, and an introduction to tulips
Tulip is a herbaceous plant of the genus Tulipa in the family Liliaceae, and is the national flower of Turkey, Kazakhstan and the Netherlands. English names: Flower of Common Tulip, Flower of Late Tulip. Traditional Chinese medicine names: Yujinxiang in "Bencao Shiyi"; Yujinxiang in "Taiping Yulan"; Honglanhua and Zishuxiang in "Gangmu".
The tulip has 3-5 leaves, linear-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate; the flower is solitary and terminal, large and showy; the tepals are red or mixed with white and yellow, sometimes white or yellow, 5-7 cm long and 2-4 cm wide; the 6 stamens are equal in length, the filaments are hairless, there is no style, and the stigma is enlarged and crest-shaped.
In plant taxonomy, the tulip is a type of bulbous herbaceous plant belonging to the genus Tulipa (scientific name: Tulipa) in the family Liliaceae. It is also known as Yanghehua, Hanhehua, Caoshexiang, Yuxiang ("Taiping Yulan"), Honglanhua and Zishuxiang ("Bencao Gangmu"). Its place of origin stretches from southern Europe and western Asia all the way to Northeast China in East Asia. The Netherlands, a major exporting country well known to people, first introduced tulips at the end of the 16th century. Because the latitudes of growing regions differ, the flowering periods vary, generally from late March to early May. Although there are about 2,000 tulip varieties worldwide, only about 150 are produced in large quantities. It is the national flower of the Netherlands.
The tulip originated in the ancient Western Regions of China and the ** area of Tibet. As early as more than 1,300 years ago, the great Tang dynasty poet Li Bai left the line "Lanling fine wine with tulips, served in jade bowls with amber light," which serves as clear evidence.
Later it spread through the Silk Road to Central Asia, and then from Central Asia into Europe and all parts of the world. At present it is planted all over the world, and is the national flower of the Netherlands, New Zealand, Iran, Turkey, Turkmenistan and other countries. It is called the queen of flowers of the world and has become a symbol representing fashion and internationalization.
The tulip's place of origin is the north and south coasts of the Mediterranean as well as Asia Minor, Iran, Turkey, and eastward to Northeast China. Its exact origin is difficult to verify, but it is now mostly believed to have originated in Ceylon and toward the southwest of the Mediterranean. Today tulips are commonly planted in every corner of the world, with cultivation being most prevalent in the Netherlands, where it has become commercial production. As early as the 17th century, in the imperial gardens of the Ottoman Empire, they were specially planted for the royal and noble families to view.
The earliest tulips planted in Europe were introduced from Turkey. China began introducing them in the 19th century. Because the latitudes of growing regions differ, the flowering periods vary, generally from late March to early May. Although there are about 2,000 tulip varieties worldwide, only about 150 are produced in large quantities.
In the flower beds of the White House in the United States, the Louvre Museum in France and elsewhere, countless visitors come every year to browse and admire its beauty. Not only that, in artistic flower arranging it is also a most precious floral material. Its flower stalk can reach 40 or 50 cm long, and whether arranged in a tall vase, a shallow bowl or a round jar, it looks especially elegant and refined, fresh and meaningful, never tiring to look at.
The tulip flowering period is April-May.
Morphological characteristics of the tulip
The tulip is a perennial herb. The bulb is flat-conical, with a brownish tunic; the bulb is ovoid, about 2 cm in diameter, the outer coat papery, with a few appressed hairs on the inner top and base.
The tulip's stem and leaves are smooth and covered with a white bloom. Leaves 3-5, elliptic-lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, 10-21 cm long and 1-6 cm wide; basal leaves 2-3, relatively broad and large; cauline leaves 1-2.
The tulip flower is solitary at the top of the stem. Large, upright, cup-shaped, magenta, often black-purple at the base. The scape is 35-55 cm long; the flower is solitary, upright, 5-7.5 cm long; petals 6, obovate, bright yellow or purple-red, with yellow stripes and spots; stamens 6, free, anthers 0.7-1.3 cm long, basifixed, filaments broad at the base; pistil 1.7-2.5 cm long, style 3-parted to the base, recurved. Flower shapes include cup-shaped, bowl-shaped, ovate, spherical, bell-shaped, funnel-shaped, lily-flowered and so on, with both single and double forms. Flower colors include white, pink, magenta, purple, brown, yellow, orange and so on, in varying shades, single-colored or bicolored.
Tulip flower shapes include cup-shaped, bowl-shaped, ovate, spherical, bell-shaped, funnel-shaped, lily-flowered and so on, with both single and double forms. Flower colors include white, pink, magenta, purple, brown, yellow, orange and so on, in varying shades, single-colored or bicolored.
The tulip flowering period is generally March-May, with early, middle and late types. The capsule has 3 locules, dehiscing along the back, with numerous seeds; the capsule dehisces along the back, and the seeds are flat.
Ecological habits of the tulip
The tulip originated in the high mountain regions of Iran and Turkey. Because of the Mediterranean climate, the tulip developed the characteristic of adapting to wet and cold winters and dry and hot summers, with summer dormancy, rooting in autumn and winter and sprouting new buds but not emerging from the soil. After winter low temperatures, around early February of the following year (at temperatures above 5°C) it begins to extend and grow to form stems and leaves, and flowers in March-April.
The suitable temperature for tulip growth and flowering is 15-20°C. Flower bud differentiation takes place during the storage period when the stems and leaves turn yellow, the bulbs are dug out of the pots and placed in a cool outdoor place to pass the summer. The suitable temperature for differentiation is 20-25°C, and must not exceed 28°C.
The tulip is a long-day flower, preferring a climate with ample sunlight, warm and humid winters, and cool and dry summers. It is very cold-hardy. In severely cold regions, if there is thick snow cover, the bulbs can overwinter in the open field, but it fears intense summer heat. If summer comes early and midsummer is very hot, the bulbs find it difficult to survive the summer after dormancy.
The tulip requires loose, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic sandy loam, and avoids alkaline soil and continuous cropping.
Tulip cultivation techniques: conventional cultivation
Field planting requires well-drained sandy soil, pH 6.6-7. Deep plow and prepare the land, using decomposed cow dung and leaf mold as base fertilizer, along with a small amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, and plant in beds with a planting depth of 10-12 cm. Generally, topdressing is carried out after emergence, at the flower bud formation stage and after flowering.
In winter the bulbs root, and before spring flowering, topdress twice. They flower from late March to early April, and in early June the aboveground leaves turn yellow and the plant enters dormancy. During growth, watering is generally unnecessary; just keep the soil moist, and water appropriately in dry weather. The key points of its cultivation and management are basically the same as those for hyacinth; the only difference is that tulip varieties easily cross, causing variety mixing, so isolated planting should be noted. Tulip bulbs contain a lot of starch and are easily eaten by mice during storage, so attention should be paid to storing them.
The tulip is a bulbous plant. It needs to go through a certain low-temperature stage and can only flower normally after the flower stem has grown fully.
Conventional cultivation is the general cultivation method, that is, a cultivation method in which the tulip bulbs have not undergone cold treatment.
Preparation before cultivation: Before planting tulips, a complete production plan needs to be made. The plan includes choosing and preparing the planting site, how to obtain tulip bulbs, and preparing production tools; for pot cultivation, potting soil and containers must also be prepared.
Cultivation key points
Tulip bulbs should be planted in deep, fertile sandy soil. Their root system most fears waterlogging, so the chosen site must have smooth drainage. For planting beds, the bed width is generally [missing value], the ditch depth 30 cm; in flat areas the ditch should be dug deeper. If the soil for first-year planting is rather clayey, 2 cubic meters of peat and 5 kg of compound fertilizer per 100 sq m can be used as base fertilizer to improve the soil. Tulips should not be continuously cropped; land where tulips have been planted in the previous one or two years is best not used for planting again. One month before planting tulips, the land should be deep-plowed and sun-exposed to kill pathogen spores and remove weeds. Then choose clear weather, irrigate with a 100-fold dilution of 40% formalin (to a depth of more than 10 cm); after soil disinfection, cover with plastic film for about one week. After removing the film, break the soil up finely and prepare for planting.
Planting: Plant in sunny, well-drained sandy loam. Generally, planting can be considered when the soil temperature is stably below 12°C. After deep plowing, apply decomposed cow dung and other phosphorus and potassium fertilizers (7-10 g phosphorus pentoxide and 13-15 g potassium oxide per sq m). The planting depth should be about twice the height of the bulb, and the spacing between plants and rows should be 2-3 times the transverse diameter of the bulb. After covering with soil, do not water again, but cover with straw to increase soil moisture and prevent soil compaction. When the young shoots have just emerged and before leaf expansion, apply 1 dilute nitrogen fertilizer; after budding, increase the fertilizer concentration (10% fertilizer, 90% water). During growth, generally do not water; just keep the soil moist. If the weather is dry, water thoroughly 1-2 times (to a moistening depth of about 15 cm). For use as cut flowers, cut when the flower buds have completely changed color; the vase life is about 10 days.
Before planting, the bulbs should be disinfected, soaked in potassium permanganate solution or formalin solution for 30 minutes, then dried and planted. For production planting, the density can be controlled at 12×12 cm or 13×12 cm, with slight differences depending on the variety. Generally, varieties with strong upright leaves and short plants can be planted somewhat more densely.
Pot cultivation treatment
If it is for exhibition planting, the spacing can be 20-25 cm, and the planting depth should be 4-5 cm from the top of the bulb to the soil surface. After planting, water thoroughly once to prevent drying and dehydration. Tulips are mostly used for potted ornamental display, as ground cover plants and for medicinal use.
Cultivation method for bulbs treated at 5°C for 12 weeks: Tulip bulbs that have undergone 12 weeks of low-temperature treatment at 5°C have completed the nutrient conversion of the scales and can be directly used for greenhouse pot cultivation. From November to December, use 5-inch to 6-inch pots, place them on the ground, 3-4 bulbs per pot, cover the bulbs with only a shallow layer of soil, preferably so that the tip of the bulb can be exposed at the pot soil surface. At planting, the soil moisture must be high, because the roots grow quickly and not much water is needed. The optimum growth temperature is 15°C; maintain 5°C-18°C, and it must not exceed 18°C; flowering occurs in 5-6 weeks. In addition, ventilation in the greenhouse must be good, and no water droplets should appear on the greenhouse film. They can be brought into flower in January-February, when flower prices are high.
Planting method for bulbs treated at 9°C for 16 weeks: Bulbs treated at 9°C are suitable for bed planting in greenhouses. Cover the bulbs with 2 cm-5 cm of soil. The soil should be moist and loose. The planting density is 230 bulbs/sq m-250 bulbs/sq m (circumference s=11 cm-12 cm). The management method is the same as for 5°C tulips; however, flowering is 1 month later than for 5°C-treated bulbs. Planted in November-December, they flower in February-March and can be sold as fresh cut flowers or potted flowers.
Planting method for natural bulbs not subjected to low-temperature treatment: Because natural bulbs have not undergone low-temperature treatment, their nutrients have not been converted to the flower primordium, and the flower buds lack sufficient nutrients, so natural bulbs must be planted in the open field and undergo natural cold treatment. When planting, the planting site should be deep-plowed 30 cm to ensure the soil is loose. The planting density of natural bulbs differs according to the diameter of the bulbs. Generally, the burial depth should be 10 cm-11 cm, and large bulbs can be planted 15 cm deep. The planting time should be from October to the end of November. Do not water after planting. If planted after November 15, a thin layer of straw bags can be covered on top. Until before May 1 of the following year, do not water; under normal circumstances no fertilizer is needed. If selling cut flowers, cut from the base of the flower stem; if propagating bulbs, cut from the neck of the flower. Dig the bulbs in June-July. There are 3-4 small bulbs around the large bulb. Separate the large and small bulbs, and do not break the skin of the bulbs. Store bulbs of different sizes at different temperatures: small bulbs at 12°C-18°C, large bulbs at 18°C-20°C. Later, store them according to different needs with 5°C and 9°C treatments and natural bulb treatment.
The key points of its cultivation and management are basically the same as those for hyacinth; the only difference is that tulip varieties easily cross, causing variety mixing, so isolated planting should be noted. Tulip bulbs contain a lot of starch and are easily eaten by mice during storage, so attention should be paid to storing them.
Field management
Temperature regulation
The suitable temperature during the tulip's growing period is 5-20°C, with the optimum temperature being 15-18°C, and the plant's growth temperature should be kept at 0-25°C. The root growth temperature of tulips is preferably above 5°C and below 14°C, especially around 10°C, which is optimal. The suitable temperature for flower bud differentiation is 17-23°C; when it exceeds 35°C, flower bud differentiation is inhibited. In addition, tulips are extremely cold-hardy and can withstand low temperatures of -35°C in winter; they begin to grow when the temperature remains above 8°C.
Water management
During cultivation, never over-irrigate, but within one week after planting the water requirement is relatively high and should be watered sufficiently. After germination the water requirement decreases, especially at flowering time when water must not be excessive. Watering should follow "small amounts, many times." If it is too dry, growth will be markedly delayed. During the tulip's growing period, the air humidity is best kept at around 80%.
Light conditions
When the bulbs germinate, the elongation of the flower buds is inhibited by sunlight. Therefore, deep planting must be carried out, along with moderate shading, to prevent direct sunlight from adversely affecting bulb growth.
Soil and fertilization
Sandy loam is best, and the soil pH should preferably be neutral to slightly alkaline. Tulips are relatively fond of fertilizer, and sufficient base fertilizer should be applied before planting. Generally, dry chicken manure or decomposed compost is used as base fertilizer and watered thoroughly. Two to three days before planting, plow and harrow carefully to ensure the soil is loose. After the bulbs produce two leaves, apply liquid fertilizer 1-2 times as topdressing. During the peak growing season, apply a compound fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium 3-4 times per month. Stop fertilizing at flowering, and after flowering apply a liquid fertilizer of monopotassium phosphate or compound fertilizer 1-2 times.
Bulb storage
The conditions of bulb storage directly affect flower bud differentiation within the bulb and the flowering time of the plant. After harvest, bulbs should be placed in a ventilated, dry and cool place as much as possible. If conditions permit, in the high-temperature season of July-August, the bulbs can be placed in a cold storage at 15-17°C, so that the bulbs develop smoothly and flower bud differentiation and development can be promoted. If the bulbs are placed under high temperatures above 35°C, flower bud abortion and malformed development will occur.
Key maintenance points for tulips
Tulips are very cold-hardy and can withstand low temperatures of -35°C in winter; they can also grow normally at 5-8°C, making them suitable for winter forcing cultivation.
Tulip forcing cultivation means breaking the dormancy of the flower primordium and leaf primordium through temperature variation treatment of the bulbs, eliminating factors that inhibit flower bud sprouting, and promoting flower bud differentiation. Then, through artificial heating, supplemental lighting and other measures, tulips are made to flower outside their natural flowering period. On the market, 5°C bulbs and 9°C bulbs are common; we generally choose 5°C bulbs for forcing cultivation to bloom at Spring Festival.
Substrate preparation
First, prepare a high-quality substrate that both retains water and is air-permeable, with salinity that is not too high and not too acidic; the pH value should be no less than 6, and it should be free of pests, diseases and harmful substances. The bulbs must be planted very firmly in a sufficiently deep cultivation bed (at least 5 cm deep). In recent years we have used a mixture of peat, decomposed soil and sand at 1:1:1 as the cultivation substrate, with good results. About half a month before planting, apply decomposed farmyard manure as base fertilizer into the bed soil, and add an appropriate amount of carbofuran and carbendazim (or irrigate with 1% formalin and cover for disinfection), water thoroughly, and plow and harrow carefully before planting to ensure the soil is loose.
Planting
Because the ground temperature in the greenhouse is high, tulips will undergo late vernalization, and this will reduce the effect of the low-temperature treatment in forcing cultivation. Therefore, early planting is not as good as late planting. Generally, planting is done about two months before Spring Festival, around early to mid-November. Before planting, remove the brown bulb skin and soak in a 500-fold dilution of 50% carbendazim for about two hours. The spacing between plants and rows is 9×10 cm. When planting, the top of the bulb should be level with or slightly below the soil surface. Proper shallow planting can advance flowering; sometimes when about 1/3 of the tulip bulb is exposed above the soil surface, flowering can be advanced by more than 5 days. After planting, water thoroughly to promote rooting.
Cultivation management temperature
Generally after one week, the bulbs begin to germinate. Before emergence and during the seedling stage, keep the indoor temperature at 12-15°C during the day; if the temperature is too high, ventilate promptly to cool it down. At night it should not be lower than 6°C, to prompt the bulbs to root early and develop strong roots and cultivate strong seedlings. If the temperature is too high at this time, the plant stems will be weak and flower quality poor. After more than 20 days, when the plant has grown two leaves, increase the temperature promptly to prompt the flower buds to break free from the bracts in time. Keep the indoor temperature at 18-25°C during the day and above 10°C at night. After another 20-plus days, the flower crown begins to color. The first flower opens from late December to early January, and it takes 10-15 days to reach full bloom. At this time, place them in batches according to the different times flowers are needed; the higher the temperature, the earlier the flowering. Generally, after the flower crown has fully colored, the plants should be placed in a 10°C environment for sale.
Light
Sufficient light is essential for tulip growth. Insufficient light will cause poor plant growth, bud drop, weakened plants, lighter leaf color and a shortened flowering period. However, within more than half a month after potting, tulips should be properly shaded to help the bulbs produce new roots. In addition, during germination, the elongation of flower buds is inhibited by light; after shading, the elongation of flower buds can be promoted, preventing excessively fast vegetative growth and spindling in the early stage. After emergence, light should be increased to promote stem elongation, flower bud formation and coloring. In the later stage, after the flower buds have fully colored, direct sunlight should be prevented to prolong the flowering time.
Fertilization
Because the substrate is rich in organic fertilizer, no additional topdressing is needed during the growing period. However, if nitrogen is insufficient and the leaf color becomes lighter or the plant grows insufficiently robust, then easily absorbed nitrogen fertilizers such as urea and ammonium nitrate can be applied, but the amount must not be large; otherwise it will cause spindling and may even affect the plant's absorption of iron, causing iron deficiency (when iron is deficient, new leaves and flower buds all turn yellow, but old leaves remain normal). Applying liquid fertilizer during the growing period has a notable effect. Generally, from budding to flowering, spray a 2‰-3‰ concentration monopotassium phosphate solution once every 10 days to promote large flowers and vivid colors and firm, upright flower stems.
Water
After planting, water thoroughly so that the soil and bulbs can fully and closely combine, which is beneficial for rooting. After sprouting, water should be properly controlled. When the leaves gradually extend, water can be sprayed on the leaf surface to increase air humidity. During the scape-extending stage and budding stage, a sufficient water supply must be ensured to promote full flower development. After flowering, properly control water.
Other
Potted tulips are managed directly after potting. Because bulb quality varies, growth and flowering are uneven, affecting their commercial quality. Therefore, it is best to first plant them in the ground in a greenhouse, and after the flower crown has colored, transfer them to pots for management. This does not affect their flowering quality and gives better results.
Among flower colors, red flowers bloom earliest and yellow latest, with a gap of roughly about 10 days. During cultivation, planting times should be staggered appropriately to ensure simultaneous flowering.
Tulip potting techniques: pot cultivation and maintenance
Tulips can be grown in the ground or in pots. As for cultivation time, both planting methods can be carried out in late October.
For field planting, the spacing between plants and rows is 14-16 cm; apply sufficient base fertilizer, cover with soil to a depth of about 4 cm, with a ditch depth of 15-20 cm, and water after planting. Before and after germination and flowering, apply 2-4 times of light fertilizer.
For pot cultivation, choose plump, large bulbs; a 30 cm flower pot can hold 3-5 bulbs. The top of the bulb should be level with the soil surface. After planting in autumn, bury the pot in the soil, then dig it out in spring, place it in a sunny, well-ventilated spot, and with normal watering and fertilizing, it will flower on time.
Cultivation experience
It requires growth in well-drained sandy loam rich in humus. A small amount of rotted stable manure and bone meal can be mixed in as base fertilizer.
It prefers cool conditions, but is highly adaptable; it can face wet and cold winters and also adapt to dry and hot summers, but over-summering should not exceed 27°C. If the temperature is too high, the leaves will spindly, the leaf-to-flower ratio will be unbalanced, and flowering will be poor. The suitable growth temperature is 15-20°C; it can grow normally above 8°C, but can also withstand low temperatures of -14°C.
During the growing period, generally just keep it moist. Apart from appropriate watering in dry weather, generally no large amount of watering is needed. In winter it mainly grows roots and grows slowly, so it can be left unwatered or watered very little. Spring is the peak growth period for flower buds and leaves, so water appropriately. After the flowers fade, the main focus is bulb growth, so water should again be properly controlled.
Only with sufficient light can the flowers bloom well and the ornamental period be extended. With insufficient light, they open poorly or even remain closed and do not open.
At important growth stages such as after emergence, during flower bud formation and after flowering, topdressing should be carried out. Diluted liquids such as sesame paste residue, horse hoof water and ferrous sulfate can all promote their growth. Do not use urea for topdressing.
If the goal is to grow bulbs, the flower buds should be removed as soon as they color, to avoid consuming nutrients. If the goal is cut flower production, they can be cut only after the flower buds have completely changed color.
If patterns appear on the flowers, it is caused by viral infection and the plants should be dug up and burned immediately to avoid contagion and spread.
Forcing cultivation
To make them available for Spring Festival, choose early-flowering varieties and plant them in early October on the light-receiving side of a hotbed or greenhouse. Move them into a greenhouse in early December and sprinkle water once a day. Buds can appear in about 20 days. If earlier blooming is desired, the greenhouse temperature should be kept at 16-18°C, and all sides should be covered so they do not receive sunlight. After two weeks, place them in a sunny spot and lower the temperature appropriately; they can flower after six weeks.
Tulip hydroponic methods: hydroponic production methods
In hydroponics, a rooting nutrient solution must be used. After planting and adding water, place the planting tray in a rooting room at a temperature of 5°C with a small amount of air movement. Replenish water in a timely manner. For watering, tap water with a conductivity value of 1.5 ms/cm can be used, and rainwater can also be used. For varieties prone to leaf cracking, water with a conductivity value of 2 ms/cm should be used during the rooting stage.
The tulip is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Liliaceae, and is welcomed by people for its large flowers and vivid colors. Because it sells well on the market, countries have successively devoted themselves to researching its cultivation techniques, and hydroponic cut flower production has gradually become popular among professional growers. China began introduction trials and cultivation in the 1990s.
Hydroponic experience
Selecting suitable and disease-free bulbs is the key to hydroponic production of tulip cut flowers.
After the bulbs are transported back, they must be stored in a pre-adjusted cold storage at a temperature of 5°C and humidity within 80%. Check in time and select out bulbs with severe penicillium disease.
According to the time flowers are needed, choose and determine the cultivation time and planting method. For hydroponic cut flower cultivation, the bulbs should be planted in disinfected, leak-proof pin trays, with the rooting temperature kept stable at 8°C and humidity between 60% and 70%.
After about two weeks of rooting, when the roots are ensured to be more than 3 cm long, move the pin trays to the greenhouse. Control the temperature at 15-20°C and humidity at 60%-70%, and add nutrient solution so that the Ec value of the water is 1.5 ms to 2.0 ms, to facilitate rapid tulip growth.
In the early growth stage, to prevent diseases caused by filamentous fungi, spray pesticides 2 to 3 times. Choose low-toxicity, high-efficiency agents such as chlorothalonil, thiophanate-methyl and thiram, at concentrations between 750 and 1,000 times.
Spray foliar fertilizer at appropriate times according to growth conditions, to coordinate vegetative growth and reproductive growth.
During growth, due to root secretions and other environmental conditions, an oily film will form on the water surface of the pin trays. This will cause the root system to lack nutrient supply, leading to browning of the roots. Therefore, change the water 2 to 3 times as appropriate.
When harvested finished cut flowers have not yet been sent off, they must be placed in a cool, ventilated place, avoiding strong light, high temperatures and low temperatures, which would affect cut flower quality.
Tulip propagation methods
Tulip propagation and cultivation generally mainly use separation of small bulbs. The method is as follows: for a one-year-old mother bulb, after flowering, 1 to 3 new bulbs capable of flowering the next year and 2 to 6 small bulbs sprout from the base of the bulb, while the mother bulb gradually dries up. The bulbs can be dug out, the soil removed and dried, and the daughter bulbs separated from the bulbs and stored in a ventilated place at 5 to 10°C. In autumn, the daughter bulbs can be planted in soil rich in leaf mold and with an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, with a spacing between plants and rows of 14 to 16 cm, a ditch depth of 15 to 20 cm, and a covering depth of preferably 4 cm. But note: any daughter bulb that is round, even if small, can flower; if the daughter bulb is flat, it generally will not flower. After planting the daughter bulbs, water thoroughly, and just keep moist normally. The following spring, begin normal fertilizer and water management for the seedlings, and they flower in 2 to 3 years. Seed propagation is generally used only in breeding and large-scale propagation, but it takes 4 to 5 years to flower.
For tulips, divide and plant small bulbs in autumn from September to October. The mother bulb is annual, that is, renewed every year; it dries after flowering, and beside it one new bulb and several daughter bulbs are produced. In autumn, separate the new bulb and daughter bulbs and plant them. Autumn sowing propagation is also possible. The number of daughter bulbs produced within the mother bulb's scales varies with variety and is also related to cultivation conditions. The enlargement of the new bulb and daughter bulbs is often completed within one month after flowering.
Bulb division and seed propagation are commonly used.
Bulb division propagation
After one season of growth, the mother bulb planted that year can simultaneously produce 1-2 large bulbs and 3-5 small bulbs around it. They can be planted separately according to bulb size. Large bulbs can flower in the same year after planting, and small daughter bulbs can also flower after 1-2 years of cultivation.
Seed propagation
Tulip seed propagation is mostly used for breeding new varieties. The seeds are harvested before the capsule matures and splits, stored in sand until October, and then sown in pots indoors. Keep them moist; they germinate only in spring of the following year. They flower in about 3-4 years.
Seed propagation is generally used only in breeding and large-scale propagation. However, it takes 4-5 years to flower, so separation of small bulbs is generally the main method. The method is as follows: for a one-year-old mother bulb, after flowering, 1-3 new bulbs capable of flowering the next year and 2-6 small bulbs sprout from the base of the bulb, while the mother bulb gradually dries up. The bulbs can be dug out, the soil removed and dried, and the daughter bulbs separated from the bulbs and stored in a ventilated place at 5-10°C. In autumn, in September, the daughter bulbs can be planted in soil rich in leaf mold and with an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, with a spacing between plants and rows of 14-16 cm, a ditch depth of 15-20 cm, and a covering depth of preferably 4 cm. But note: any daughter bulb that is round, even if small, can flower; if the daughter bulb is flat, it generally will not flower. After planting the daughter bulbs, water thoroughly, and just keep moist normally. The following spring, begin normal fertilizer and water management for the seedlings, and they flower in 2-3 years.
Flowering regulation of tulips
Tulips have the characteristic of being cold-tolerant but not heat-tolerant. They can generally withstand low temperatures of -30°C, and in hot seasons they enter dormancy. Normally they prefer humid, cool climates and a sheltered, sunny environment, and grow better in neutral or slightly acidic soil. A mature tulip bulb contains three generations of bulbs, also called three generations of planting stock. The large bulb itself is the first-generation bulb, has fully differentiated floral organs, and flowers in the same year after planting. The second- and third-generation bulbs are daughter bulbs, which can be cultivated into large bulbs.
Tulip bulbs must undergo a certain period of low temperature to flower. In their place of origin, winters generally have sufficient low-temperature time, so tulip bulbs can obtain enough low-temperature treatment time and can flower naturally in spring. Generally speaking, tulip bulbs used in production include 5°C-treated and 9°C-treated ones, and the planting methods after treatment are mainly greenhouse cultivation and forcing cultivation in boxes.
Cultivating tulips in South China and other southern regions is limited by temperature, so planting is done during the three months from December to February of the following year. In December, the temperature in South China may still be very high. At this time, tulips can be cultivated in cultivation boxes and placed in a cold storage at about 5°C for 2-3 weeks. When the tulip bulbs have rooted and the shoots are about 1-2 cm long, move them out of the cold storage and place them in a planting shed to grow.
To ensure that tulips bloom on time, during the growing period the daytime temperature should be kept at 17-20°C as much as possible and the nighttime temperature at 10-12°C. When the temperature is high, the temperature can be lowered through shading and ventilation; when the temperature is too low, growth can be promoted through heating and increasing light. Using water control to inhibit growth will cause a "dry flower" phenomenon. If high temperatures persist, box-grown plants can be moved into cold storage; note that the cold storage temperature should be around 8-10°C, and it is best to move them in when the flower stems are elongating; otherwise it easily causes poor flower bud development. Tulip flowering can also be regulated by plant growth hormones. For example, soaking tulip bulbs in gibberellin makes them flower in the greenhouse and can increase flower diameter.
Harvesting, cutting and freshness preservation
Harvesting, cutting and freshness preservation of cut flowers: When the buds have fully colored, they can be harvested and marketed. Those managed at a slightly lower temperature can color gradually; however, those forced to flower early at high temperature color poorly. At the same time, those that color late are easily damaged during transport and market transactions. Therefore, near flowering, avoid excessively high temperatures, maintain good ventilation while providing full shading, and when cutting, since the bulbs are easily pulled up, use pliers to cut and retain as much of the stem inside the bulb as possible. Cut flowers are sorted according to variety, plant height and flower size, boxed in bundles of 10 stems for transport. For vase freshness preservation, a mixed solution of 10×10-6 algicide, 2.5% sugar and 10×10-6 calcium carbonate can be used, or a mixed solution of sugar, chlormequat and 8-hydroxyquinoline citrate can be used.
Postharvest technology
Main characteristics of cut flowers: the longer the low-temperature forcing cultivation at night, the longer the vase life of the cut flowers.
Harvest and cutting development stage: the optimal cutting stage for tulips varies by variety. Generally, cut when the flower is 1/2 colored. Immediately after cutting, place in an environment at a temperature of 2°C and at least 85% relative humidity.
Vase life: the shortest vase life is only 3-4 days, and the longest is about 5-7 days.
Preservative treatment method: preservative solution causes the flower stems to elongate too much and has little effect on extending vase life. Therefore, preservative solution is generally not used.
Storage and transport technology: they can be stored dry (placed horizontally) or wet (placed vertically) at a temperature of 2°C, with the flower heads tightly wrapped in plastic film, but they should not be stored for long periods. Some varieties are harvested together with the bulbs at the green bud stage and can be stored for 2-3 weeks at 0°C.
Retailer and consumer handling methods
(1) Recut the flower stems, insert the cut flowers into water 15-20 cm deep, wrap the flower heads in plastic film, and rehydrate at room temperature until the cut flowers are firm.
(2) Store cut flowers at 2°C for the longest vase life.
(3) Arranged flowers should be placed in a cool, windless environment, not near a stove. Tulips are phototropic, so indoor light should be evenly distributed to avoid stem bending.
(4) Do not place tulips and daffodils in the same container, otherwise the life of the tulips will be shortened. Tulips may cause redness and swelling of the skin on the palms, so handle them with care.
Disease Control for Tulips
The main diseases of tulips include rot caused by sclerotia, gray mold, and color-breaking petal disease. The first step in control is to select virus-free bulbs whenever possible, disinfect both the soil and the bulbs, and promptly burn diseased bulbs and diseased plants. Then spray every half month with a 2500-fold dilution of 5% benomyl wettable emulsion. The main pests of tulips are aphids and root mites; aphids are generally controlled by spraying a 1000-fold dilution of 40% dimethoate emulsion.
Pathogen
TuBV is known as Tulip breaking virus. The virus particles are filamentous, measuring 700 x 12-13 nm or 750-175 x 15 nm, with bundle-shaped or coil-shaped inclusion bodies. The thermal inactivation point is 65-70 degrees C, the dilution end point is 0.00001, and the longevity in vitro at 18 degrees C is 4-6 days. This virus has two strains: a virulent strain and a mild strain. The former causes faded mottling on leaves and flower stalks. This virus is closely related to Lily latent virus (LSV). In addition, CMV, TRV, and TNV are also pathogens of this disease, and their plastids are all spherical. Tulip breaking virus can also harm lilies, Cape poison bulb (Crinum), yellow fritillary (Fritillaria), and others.
Distribution area:
Disease characteristics: Tulip breaking virus can be transmitted by sap, aphids, and bulbs. The tulip bulb aphid (Dysaphis tulipae) mainly transmits the virus during the bulb storage period, but not during the growing period. In Shanghai and other places, most varieties of bulbs imported from the Netherlands for planting can only be grown for 2-3 years, after which they gradually degenerate and become smaller, and may even fail to bloom. This virus is the main cause of the degeneration.
Control methods:
(1) Select disease-free bulbs as propagation material. For introduced tulip bulbs, virus elimination should be carried out centrally using a combination of shoot-tip culture and heat treatment, and virus-free propagation bases should be established to obtain virus-free plantlets before they enter the market.
(2) During the bulb storage period, if tulip bulb aphids are found active, or if other aphids are found in the field, promptly spray a 1000-fold dilution of 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate to kill them and prevent virus transmission.
(3) Promptly remove diseased plants found in the field.
(4) Fields planted with tulips should preferably be far away from Lilium plants to prevent virus transmission.
(5) In areas with severe disease incidence, it is still safer for production to use relatively disease-resistant single-flowered tulip varieties.
Preventing Bulb Rot in Tulips
In tulip cultivation, bulb rot often occurs. The main causes are: dug bulbs were not dried and carry disease-carrying soil; during storage, high temperature and high humidity are suitable for pathogen reproduction and spread, causing bulbs to become moldy and rot; when planting, soil carrying pathogens (mostly Fusarium) and inadequately decomposed fertilizer are used, and the bulbs are damaged by pathogens, causing bulb rot; the potting soil is clayey, and combined with overwatering, causes waterlogging in the pot, leading to waterlogged bulb rot; bulbs are lifted too early, and the new bulbs are not plump enough, which also easily causes rot. The method for preventing bulb rot should adopt corresponding measures according to the above disease-causing factors.
Pest and Disease Control
The main pests and diseases of tulips include rot disease, sclerotial disease, viral disease, thrips, foxglove aphid (Aulacorthum solani), and root lice.
After infection with sclerotial disease, yellow or brown slightly raised round spots appear on the scales, and sclerotia form in the slightly sunken inner parts. When the pathogen infects the stem, long oval lesions appear, and sclerotia form at the soil surface. Control methods: first, disinfect the soil before planting; second, immediately remove diseased plants after symptoms appear and spray a 500-fold dilution of zineb.
Viral disease is one of the main causes of tulip germplasm degeneration. There are many viruses that harm tulips; the two common ones in China are mosaic virus and breaking virus. Mosaic virus causes yellow stripes or fine speckled spots on affected leaves, and dark spots on petals; in severe cases the leaves rot. Attention should be paid to timely control of aphids and removal of weeds. Breaking virus causes pale yellow or grayish-white stripes or irregular spots on diseased leaves, sometimes forming mosaics, and pale yellow or white stripes or irregular spots on petals, producing color-breaking flowers on red or purple varieties. Its control methods are the same as for general viral diseases, but the planting site should be far away from lilies.
Root lice feed on bulbs in the soil, bore into the epidermis to suck sap, causing plants to grow weakly, rot easily, or become susceptible to disease. Soak infested bulbs in dilute limewater for 10 minutes, then remove and rinse clean to kill the root lice.
1. Tulip southern blight
Symptoms: The whole plant wilts, white mycelial strands or rapeseed-like tea-brown small sclerotia wrap around the stem base, and the affected parts turn brown, decay, and rot. Large amounts of white mycelial strands and tea-brown fungal bodies are visible on the soil surface.
Pathogen: Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc., called southern blight fungus, belongs to the Deuteromycotina fungi. The hyphae are white and silky, spreading in a fan or radial pattern, later gathering into mycelial strands or tangling into sclerotia. The sclerotia resemble rapeseeds, initially white to yellowish-white, later turning tea-brown, round, with a smooth surface. In addition, it has been reported that Corticium rolfsii (Secc.) Curzi. is also a pathogen of this disease.
Transmission routes: 1. The pathogen overwinters in the soil as sclerotia or mycelial strands with diseased residues. When conditions are suitable the following year, the sclerotia and mycelial strands produce hyphae for primary infection. 2. The silky hyphae produced by infected plants extend to contact neighboring plants, or sclerotia are spread by water flow for secondary infection, causing the disease to spread and expand. The disease is severe in successive cropping, heavy clay soil, low-lying terrain, or in years or seasons with high temperature and high humidity.
Control methods: Promptly remove and burn diseased plants found. Drench the disease holes and nearby plants with a 1000-1600-fold dilution of 5% validamycin aqueous solution, or a 500-600-fold dilution of 50% Tian'an aqueous solution, or a 1000-fold dilution of 20% tolclofos-methyl emulsion, or a 500-fold dilution of 90% fenaminosulf wettable powder, pouring 0.4-0.5 L per plant (hole). When plowing, mix in 100-150 kg of lime powder per mu to make the soil slightly alkaline, which can inhibit the reproduction of the southern blight pathogen.
2. Tulip leaf blight
Symptoms: Infected leaf buds develop poorly and become deformed and curled; leaves that grow after the young buds are damaged become curled. If the environment is humid, large amounts of gray mold-like conidia are produced on diseased tissues, affecting neighboring healthy plants and causing leaf infection, so bulb growth is greatly affected. After flowers are damaged, white or light yellowish-brown lesions first appear, then they quickly wither and drop, or turn brown and dry up. Ring bands appear on the flower stalk, sometimes with conidial layers on them. Every stage of this disease is highly likely to infect flowers. Sclerotia form on the outer shell of diseased bulbs, or round to oval sunken spots appear on the outer scales, with a grayish-yellow center and brown edges, containing one to several sclerotia inside.
Pathogen: Botrytis tulipae Lind. belongs to the Deuteromycotina and is common in tulip-growing areas, becoming more severe in the rainy season. Transmission routes: Mycelia and sclerotia remain in rotted bulbs and soil to overwinter. After diseased bulbs are planted, large amounts of conidia are produced on the damaged and dead young buds, which are the infection source for aboveground disease.
Disease conditions: The pathogen can produce conidia at 5 degrees C and 90%-100% humidity. The disease is severe in spring with low temperatures and rainy, humid weather.
Control methods:
(1) Remove diseased bulbs before planting and practice crop rotation.
(2) Once buds or flower buds showing symptoms of this disease are found, remove them immediately to control disease development.
(3) Before planting, soak the bulbs in 2% formalin solution for 30 minutes, then dry and plant to reduce residual pathogens.
(4) During the growing period, spray a 1000-fold dilution of 50% iprodione, or a 2000-fold dilution of 50% procymidone, or a 1000-fold dilution of 50% dimethachlon.
3. Tulip black rot
Symptoms: Bulbs are affected. On the stem plate and stem surface, sometimes on the 2nd and 3rd scales, irregular lesions initially yellowish-brown and later black appear, with a rough surface.
Pathogen: Pseudomonas andropogonis (Smith) Stapp, a pseudomonad bacterium. The bacterial cells are rod-shaped, measuring 1.9 x 0.8 micrometers, with 1-3 polar flagella. The optimum temperature for disease development is 20-25 degrees C, with a minimum of 5 degrees C.
Transmission routes: Infected bulbs and diseased residues in soil are the sources of infection.
Control methods: Try soaking bulbs in agricultural streptomycin sulfate solution for disinfection.
4. Tulip mosaic disease (CMV)
Symptoms: Mosaic-like markings and chlorotic streaks appear on leaves, sometimes necrotic spots form, and dark spots appear on petals. Growth and development are inhibited. When symptoms are severe, the bulbs do not grow large, and the damage is great.
Pathogen: Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV).
Transmission routes: This virus occurs on many crops and weeds and is transmitted non-persistently by aphids.
Control methods:
(1) Use healthy bulbs.
(2) Control aphids promptly.
5. Tulip wilt
Symptoms: Dark brown and gray sunken spots appear on the outer scales of the bulb, later expanding into medium to dark brown lesions. If diseased bulbs are placed in a warm, humid place, white or pink mycelia and conidia grow on them, causing the affected tissue to shrink and harden. After the bulb base is damaged, rapidly developing lesions can spread across all scales. Ethylene produced by diseased bulbs can cause healthy bulbs to exude gum, affecting growth. Leaves on the bulbs show premature senescence, and some leaves stand upright and gradually turn a characteristic purple. The flowers that grow are thin and small, deformed, and may even wither. In a greenhouse, infected plants will yellow and die prematurely.
Pathogen: Fusarium oxysporum Schl. f. sp. tulipae Apt. Microconidia are 5-12 x 2.2-3.5 micrometers; macroconidia have 3-5 septa and measure 30-60 x 3.5 micrometers.
Control methods:
(1) Appropriately delay planting and lift bulbs early to avoid the high-temperature period as much as possible, so as to prevent rampant damage by the pathogen.
(2) Healthy bulbs should be stored separately in a ventilated, cool place (below 15 degrees C).
(3) Do not plant too densely, and promptly remove diseased plants found during the growing period.
(4) Within 48 hours of lifting the bulbs, soak them in a water solution of 50% benomyl wettable powder for 15-30 minutes, then dry and store.
(5) Plant disease-free bulbs and implement a three-year crop rotation system.
6. Tulip color-breaking petal disease
Symptoms: The main symptoms appear on the flowers. On the same flower, petal colors show varying degrees of change: some colors deepen, some remain normal, and some become lighter. Some become mottled, and some become striped. Affected leaves show lighter-colored spots or stripes, and in many varieties the outer side of the first leaf shows irregular stripes of anthocyanin pigment.
Pathogen: Tulip breaking virus (TuBV). The thermal inactivation point of the virus is 65 degrees C to 70 degrees C.
Transmission routes: It overwinters and oversummers as sclerotia in bulbs and soil. During the growing period, it is transmitted by aphids. Knives and scissors used for cutting flowers can also transmit it.
Control methods:
(1) Select virus-free plants as propagation material.
(2) Promptly remove diseased plants.
(3) Spray a 1000-fold dilution of 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate, or a 1000-fold dilution of 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate, or an 800-fold dilution of 2.5% rotenone to control aphids.
(4) When cutting flowers, knives and scissors should be heat-sterilized or washed clean with detergent before use.
Causes of Blind Stems and Blind Flowers
Tulips belong to the Liliaceae family, genus Tulipa, and are perennial bulbous herbaceous plants. They have an upright plant form and large, showy flowers, with high ornamental value. However, if care is improper, tulips are prone to developing blind stems and blind flowers.
Symptoms of blind flowers are normal development of branches and leaves; in weak-growing plants, the flower bud loses water and turns white, with a leaf-tip shape, and the flower stem shrinks; in strong-growing plants, the flower stem is short, the petals remain green or white, and they curl together with the stamens and pistils, unable to open fully. A blind stem means the aboveground part of the plant produces only one large leaf, with no leafy stem, let alone a flower stem.
The causes of their formation are as follows:
Related to variety, biological characteristics, and cold treatment time
Because tulips were tempered by harsh natural conditions in their place of origin over a long period, they not only developed the varietal characteristic of being cold-tolerant but not heat-tolerant, but also acquired the biological characteristic of requiring a certain period of low-temperature treatment, with stems and leaves fully growing before they can bloom. In northern China, autumn and winter open-field planting can satisfy the low-temperature requirement, and they bloom in April to May the following year. Using this characteristic, tulip bulbs can be given 9-5 degrees C low-temperature treatment for forcing cultivation, supplying flowers year-round. The blind flower phenomenon in production is mainly caused by bulbs not having undergone low-temperature vernalization or having too short a cold treatment period, so they have not reached the flowering requirement.
Related to bulb size and intermediate temperature
In production, bulbs above 12 cm are mostly used as planting bulbs. Such bulbs have fully developed flower buds, and blind flowers rarely occur. Bulbs below 10-11 cm are mostly used for open-field planting, and after one year, when the flower buds are fully developed, they can also bloom normally. If used for forcing cultivation, the blind flower rate is relatively high. This is mainly because most of the flower buds of such bulbs are not yet fully developed, and before cold treatment they must be treated at an intermediate temperature of 17-20 degrees C for 1-3 weeks longer than bulbs with a diameter of 12 cm. If bulb sizes are inconsistent, intermediate temperature treatment is improper, and forcing cultivation is then carried out, and nutrient supply is insufficient during vegetative growth, blind stems and blind flowers are likely to appear. Therefore, producers are reminded that in large-scale production, bulb specifications should be strictly selected according to different cultivation methods.
Influence of human factors
First, when removing the bulb skin before planting, try not to damage the stem buds, so as to reduce the occurrence of blind stems. Second, extremely high temperatures caused by humans during storage and transport, such as excessive heat dissipation from the bulbs themselves or from other fruits, vegetables, flowers, and engines, cause ethylene production within the bulbs. When the ethylene concentration reaches 0.1 dpm, it can cause bud necrosis, and after planting, large numbers of blind stems will appear.
Influence of other factors
For example, incorrect watering during cultivation, excessively high humidity in the greenhouse, and diseased bulbs causing root asphyxiation make any yield impossible.
Disease Control for Tulips (Additional) Pest and Disease Control
The pathogens of tulip pests and diseases can be carried by bulbs or by soil that infects the bulbs. They mostly occur in high-temperature, high-humidity environments. The main diseases include stem rot, soft rot, color-breaking disease, damping-off, and blind buds, while the main pest is mostly aphids.
Control methods
Carry out thorough soil disinfection before planting, use virus-free bulbs for cultivation whenever possible, promptly dig out and destroy diseased plants found, and applying fungicide 1-2 times during greenhouse growth gives better results; maintain good ventilation to prevent high temperature and high humidity; when aphids occur, spray an 800-fold dilution of 3% natural pyrethrum.
Color-breaking petal disease
Tulip color-breaking petal disease, also called tulip white stripe disease, occurs in all tulip-producing areas and is one of the important causes of tulip bulb degeneration. This disease mainly infects tulip leaves and corollas. Light green or grayish-white stripes appear on infected leaves, sometimes forming mosaics. Petals become deformed; on single-colored flowers, pale yellow or white stripes or irregular spots appear. Infected bulbs degenerate and become smaller, plants grow poorly and become dwarfed, and flowers become smaller and deformed. The pathogen is Tulip breaking virus (TuBV).
The virus overwinters in diseased bulbs and becomes the infection source for the following year. It is transmitted non-persistently by green peach aphids and other aphids. This virus can also harm lilies; after infection, lilies develop mosaics or latent symptoms. Under natural cultivation conditions, double-flowered tulips are more susceptible to the disease than single-flowered tulips.
1. Control aphids and regularly spray insecticides to reduce transmission vectors.
2. Strengthen quarantine to control the expansion and spread of the disease. Immediately remove diseased plants found. Avoid planting too close to lilies to prevent mutual infection.
Preventing Bulb Rot
In tulip cultivation, bulb rot often occurs. The main causes are: dug bulbs were not dried and carry disease-carrying soil; during storage, high temperature and high humidity are suitable for pathogen reproduction and spread, causing bulbs to become moldy and rot; when planting, soil carrying pathogens (mostly Fusarium) and inadequately decomposed fertilizer are used, and the bulbs are damaged by pathogens, causing bulb rot; the potting soil is clayey, and combined with overwatering, causes waterlogging in the pot, leading to waterlogged bulb rot; bulbs are lifted too early, and the new bulbs are not plump enough, which also easily causes rot. The method for preventing bulb rot should adopt corresponding measures according to the above disease-causing factors.
Sclerotial disease
After infection, yellow or brown slightly raised round spots appear on the scales, and sclerotia form in the slightly sunken inner parts. When the pathogen infects the stem, long oval lesions appear, and sclerotia form at the soil surface. Control methods: first, disinfect the soil before planting; second, immediately remove diseased plants after symptoms appear and spray a 500-fold dilution of zineb.
Viral disease
Viral disease is one of the main causes of tulip germplasm degeneration. There are many viruses that harm tulips; the two common ones in China are mosaic virus and breaking virus. Mosaic virus causes yellow stripes or fine speckled spots on affected leaves, and dark spots on petals; in severe cases the leaves rot. Attention should be paid to timely control of aphids and removal of weeds. Breaking virus causes pale yellow or grayish-white stripes or irregular spots on diseased leaves, sometimes forming mosaics, and pale yellow or white stripes or irregular spots on petals, producing color-breaking flowers on red or purple varieties.
Rot disease
This disease mainly harms tulip bulbs and plants. After bulbs are infected, water-soaked brown spots first appear, after which the bulbs become soft and rot. After plants are infected, the leaf tips and leaf margins of lower leaves fade, the stem turns purple, the stem base shrinks, and the plant later dies. Control methods: During bulb storage, avoid high temperature and high humidity, pay attention to ventilation, and avoid successive cropping. Promptly dispose of diseased plants and diseased bulbs found. In the early stage of infection, promptly spray a 1000-fold dilution of 70% thiophanate-methyl.
Root lice
They feed on bulbs in the soil, bore into the epidermis to suck sap, causing plants to grow weakly, rot easily, or become susceptible to disease. Soak infested bulbs in dilute limewater for 10 minutes, then remove and rinse clean to kill the root lice.
Damping-off
Flower stems or plants lodge. The cause is excessively high relative humidity in the greenhouse, or poor rooting of the bulbs reducing water uptake. Control methods: during management, do not use excessively low temperatures, and do not let plants grow too quickly at high temperatures. Ensure normal root function and avoid excessively high relative humidity (above 80%).
Blind buds
Flower buds lose water, petals remain green, leaf tips turn white, stamens and pistils dry up, and flowers cannot open fully. The causes are insufficient cold treatment, excessively high temperatures during storage and transport, excessively high relative humidity in the greenhouse, and incorrect watering methods leading to root asphyxiation. Control methods: strictly prevent the occurrence of the above phenomena at every stage.
Root rot
In mild infection, part of the root system rots; severe infection will cause flowers to wilt. Infected roots usually become waxy and cause the soil around the roots to turn brown, and eventually the entire root system turns brown. The cause is infection by Pythium. Control methods: disinfect the soil before planting. Promptly remove heavily infected bulbs. Ensure good soil structure and drainage in the greenhouse soil. During the first two weeks of planting, keep the greenhouse temperature at 10 degrees C or below.
Soft rot
In the early stage, infected bulb tissue becomes soft and pink and releases a peculiar odor; in the later stage, soft rot infection appears as stopped plant growth, yellowing leaf tips, and dehydrated flowers. The cause is infection by Pythium. Control methods: fully disinfect and sterilize bulbs before planting and disinfect the soil. Ensure good soil structure and drainage in the greenhouse soil. Promptly remove infected plants and disinfect the affected soil.
Burn
Water-soaked green spots appear on flowers and leaves and gradually become large white or brown spots; in severe cases, they can cause plants not to develop or can hinder flowering. The cause is infection by downy mildew fungi. Control methods: remove infected bulbs before planting and disinfect the soil. Carry out routine sterilization treatment on infected soil. During cultivation, keep plant leaves dry, especially at night. It is best to water directly onto the soil.
Southern blight
Symptoms: The whole plant wilts, white mycelial strands or rapeseed-like tea-brown small sclerotia wrap around the stem base, and the affected parts turn brown, decay, and rot. Large amounts of white mycelial strands and tea-brown fungal bodies are visible on the soil surface.
Pathogen: Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc., called southern blight fungus, belongs to the Deuteromycotina fungi. The hyphae are white and silky, spreading in a fan or radial pattern, later gathering into mycelial strands or tangling into sclerotia. The sclerotia resemble rapeseeds, initially white to yellowish-white, later turning tea-brown, round, with a smooth surface. In addition, it has been reported that Corticium rolfsii (Secc.) Curzi. is also a pathogen of this disease.
Transmission routes
The pathogen overwinters in the soil as sclerotia or mycelial strands with diseased residues. When conditions are suitable the following year, the sclerotia and mycelial strands produce hyphae for primary infection.
The silky hyphae produced by infected plants extend to contact neighboring plants, or sclerotia are spread by water flow for secondary infection, causing the disease to spread and expand. The disease is severe in successive cropping, heavy clay soil, low-lying terrain, or in years or seasons with high temperature and high humidity.
Control methods: Promptly remove and burn diseased plants found. Drench the disease holes and nearby plants with a 1000-1600-fold dilution of 5% validamycin aqueous solution, or a 500-600-fold dilution of 50% Tian'an aqueous solution, or a 1000-fold dilution of 20% tolclofos-methyl emulsion, or a 500-fold dilution of 90% fenaminosulf wettable powder, pouring 0.4-0.5 L per plant (hole). When plowing, mix in 100-150 kg of lime powder per mu to make the soil slightly alkaline, which can inhibit the reproduction of the southern blight pathogen.
Leaf blight
Symptoms: Infected leaf buds develop poorly and become deformed and curled; leaves that grow after the young buds are damaged become curled. If the environment is humid, large amounts of gray mold-like conidia are produced on diseased tissues, affecting neighboring healthy plants and causing leaf infection, so bulb growth is greatly affected. After flowers are damaged, white or light yellowish-brown lesions first appear, then they quickly wither and drop, or turn brown and dry up. Ring bands appear on the flower stalk, sometimes with conidial layers on them. Every stage of this disease is highly likely to infect flowers. Sclerotia form on the outer shell of diseased bulbs, or round to oval sunken spots appear on the outer scales, with a grayish-yellow center and brown edges, containing one to several sclerotia inside.
Pathogen: Botrytis tulipae Lind. belongs to the Deuteromycotina and is common in tulip-growing areas, becoming more severe in the rainy season. Transmission routes: Mycelia and sclerotia remain in rotted bulbs and soil to overwinter. After diseased bulbs are planted, large amounts of conidia are produced on the damaged and dead young buds, which are the infection source for aboveground disease.
Disease conditions: The pathogen can produce conidia at 5 degrees C and 90%-100% humidity. The disease is severe in spring with low temperatures and rainy, humid weather.
Control methods
Remove diseased bulbs before planting and practice crop rotation.
Once buds or flower buds showing symptoms of this disease are found, remove them immediately to control disease development.
Before planting, soak the bulbs in 2% formalin solution for 30 minutes, then dry and plant to reduce residual pathogens.
During the growing period, spray a 1000-fold dilution of 50% iprodione, or a 2000-fold dilution of 50% procymidone, or a 1000-fold dilution of 50% dimethachlon.
Black rot
Symptoms: The bulb becomes diseased. On the stem base and stem surface, sometimes on the 2nd and 3rd scales, irregular lesions first appear yellowish-brown and later black, with a rough surface.
Pathogen: Pseudomonas andropogonis (Smith) Stapp, a rod-shaped bacterium. The cells are rod-shaped, measuring 1.9*0.8 microns, with 1 to 3 polar flagella. The optimum temperature for disease development is 20-25°C, with a minimum of 5°C.
Transmission route: Infected bulbs and diseased residues in the soil serve as sources of infection.
Mosaic disease
Symptoms: Mosaic-like markings and chlorotic streaks appear on the leaves, sometimes with necrotic spots, and dark spots develop on the petals. Growth and development are inhibited. When symptoms are severe, the corms fail to grow large, and the damage is great.
Pathogen: Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV).
Transmission route: This virus occurs on many crops and weeds, and is transmitted non-persistently by aphids.
Control methods:
Use healthy seed bulbs.
Control aphids promptly.
Fusarium wilt
Symptoms: Dark brown and gray sunken spots appear on the outer scales of the bulb, later expanding into medium to dark brown lesions. If a diseased bulb is placed in a warm, humid place, white or pink mycelium and conidia will grow on it, causing the affected tissue to shrivel and harden. When the bulb base is affected, rapidly developing lesions can spread across all scales; the ethylene produced by diseased bulbs will cause gummosis in healthy bulbs, affecting growth. The leaves on the bulb show premature senescence, and some leaves become upright and gradually turn a characteristic purple. The flowers produced are thin and small, deformed, and even withered. In a greenhouse, infected plants will yellow and die prematurely.
Pathogen: Fusarium oxysporum Sch1. f. sp. tulipae Apt. Microspores measure 5-12*2.2-3.5 microns; macrospores have 3-5 septa and measure 30-60*3.5 microns.
Control methods:
Delay planting appropriately and lift the bulbs early, avoiding the high-temperature period as much as possible to prevent rampant damage from the pathogen.
Healthy bulbs should be stored separately in a ventilated, cool place (below 15 degrees).
Do not plant too densely; diseased plants found during the growing period should be removed promptly.
Within 48 hours of lifting the bulbs, soak them in a 50% benomyl wettable powder solution for 15-30 minutes, then dry and store.
Plant disease-free bulbs and implement a three-year crop rotation system.
Broken-color petal disease
Symptoms: The main symptoms appear on the flowers. The petal colors of the same flower show variations in depth of shade; some colors deepen, some remain normal, and some become lighter. Some flowers become mottled, and some become striped. Affected leaves show lighter-colored spots or streaks, and in many varieties the anthocyanin pigment on the outer side of the first leaf shows irregular streaks.
Pathogen: Tulip breaking virus (TuBV); the thermal death point of the virus is 65-70°C.
Transmission route: It overwinters and oversummers as sclerotia in bulbs and soil. During the growing period it is transmitted by aphids. Knives and scissors used when cutting flowers can also transmit it.
Control methods:
Select virus-free plants as propagation material.
Remove diseased plants promptly.
Spray 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1000 times dilution, or 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1000 times dilution, or 2.5% derris extract at 800 times dilution to control aphids.
When cutting flowers, knives and scissors should be heat-sterilized or washed clean with detergent before use.
Tulip variety classification
There are numerous tulip varieties, about ten thousand or more. Flower shapes include cup-shaped, bowl-shaped, egg-shaped, spherical, lily-flowered, and double-flowered, among others. Flower colors include white, pink, purple, brown, yellow, orange, and more, in varying shades, either single or bicolor. Flowering periods include early, mid, and late. Although the varieties are extremely rich, like the hyacinth, they are not easy to cultivate successfully in many parts of our country and often degenerate.
Today, after long-term hybrid cultivation by horticulturists, there are more than eight thousand varieties worldwide, of which about 150 are mass-produced. They are brilliantly colored and highly varied, with red, yellow, and purple being the most popular. For example, a yellow flower sprinkled with red dots on the petals is called "King's Blood"; a red flower with stripes distributed on the petals is called "Olympic Torch"; and a crimson flower with petals curling around each other is called "Lover's Hot Kiss," and so on. Carotenoids turn the petals bright orange and yellow; anthocyanins bring light pink, rose red, and deep purple; and tiny air bubbles between the petal cells give the flowers a crystal-clear pure white. As for black tulips, the most classic variety is named "Night Queen"; its color is produced by the projection of cell protrusions. The flowers of Dutch varieties such as "Dye-faced Widow," "Peerless Beauty," and "Black Queen" are not pure black.
By flower shape variation
Cup-shaped: The corolla is cup-shaped; includes Cottage tulips, Darwin tulips, and Darwin hybrid tulips;
Bowl-shaped: The corolla is shallow-dish-shaped and bell-shaped, with many small flowers; includes water-lily tulips;
Lily-flowered: The petal tips taper to a point, and the corolla resembles a lily; includes lily-flowered tulips;
Spherical: The corolla is spherical; these are the double-flowered types among Cottage tulips and Darwin hybrid tulips.
By early or late flowering
Mainly based on early or late flowering, tulips are divided into: Early-flowering varieties. They flower early, blooming in March to April, and include the early-flowering single series, early-flowering double series, Mendel series, and Triomph series; Late-flowering varieties. They flower late, from late April to early May, and include the Darwin series, Darwin hybrid series, Breeder series, lily-flowered series, Cardinal series, Ribbon series, Bizarr series, Bybloemen series, Parrot series, Peony series, and species and hybrids.
By color series
1. Red series
Most Maaike Luz: deep red;
Parel van Rijn: initially orange-red, soon turning scarlet
Lorado: bright red with white edges;
Scholarly: bright red
Kiss Nellis: dark red with bright yellow edges
Brother Burch: scarlet
General Eisenhower: bright red
Prit Ohalun: bright peach red
Hardy Elodie: scarlet
Streak Bim: purplish red
Rose Beauty: deep peach.
2. Yellow series
Hedy Fuz: bright yellow
Gold Medal: deep lemon yellow
Belo Jiu Lu: deep yellow
Yellow Flight: bright yellow.
3. White series
Mozart: white with red edges
Athlete: pure white
Zuma: white background with red edges
Aro Piro: pure white, etc.
Although tulip varieties are extremely rich, like the hyacinth, they are not easy to cultivate successfully in many places and often degenerate.
By color classification
Overall, the tulip's flower language is universal love, consideration, elegance, wealth, capability, and intelligence.
1. Tulip (red) Tulipa gesneriana, Liliaceae, Tulipa genus
The tulip is the national flower of the Netherlands. Between 1634 and 1637, there was a period known in Dutch history as "Tulip Mania." New and rare tulip varieties were bought and sold at high prices, becoming investment objects that people chased after competitively.
Flower language: Confession of love
Flower-giving etiquette: Place several stems of red tulips on square-shaped stiff backing paper, fix their positions with adhesive tape, carefully wrap them in transparent plastic paper, and decorate the four corners with golden ribbons to add a gorgeous touch.
2. Tulip (yellow) Tulipa gesneriana, Liliaceae, Tulipa genus
In Europe and America, yellow flowers are usually not very popular, and the related flower languages generally carry relatively negative meanings. In fact, clear yellow contains the joy of spring; how could such eye-catching bright flowers fail to inspire affection?
Flower language: Hopeless love
Flower-giving etiquette: Because tulip stems have a rather curvaceous beauty, it is appropriate to use slightly larger wrapping paper with a white background and patterns; tie 4-5 long stems into a bunch, and the ribbon must be yellow.
3. Tulip (white) Tulipa gesneriana, Liliaceae, Tulipa genus
Origin of the name: When an Australian ambassador who came to Turkey in the 16th century first saw this flower, he asked the Turks beside him for its name, and the answer was: tulip. In fact, this pronunciation referred to the Turkish turban. That Turk misunderstood the ambassador's meaning, but the flower name was thus created and has continued to be used.
Flower language: Lost love
Flower-giving etiquette: Just make a bouquet with a few white tulips; no other embellishments are needed. Wrap the outside with pink gauze, then gently tie it with a few thin red ribbons.
Hybrid cultivation
After long-term hybrid cultivation by horticulturists, there are more than eight thousand varieties worldwide. About 150 are mass-produced, among which red, yellow, and purple are the most popular.
The new variety Guotai tulip was discovered by the Dutchman Jan Carol in 1999; the flower is entirely deep purple, feather-like, and parrot-shaped. On March 24, 2014, China's First Lady Peng Liyuan, invited by the Dutch royal family, named this new purple parrot-shaped tulip "Guotai." "Guotai" endows this purple tulip with a brand-new meaning of world peace, national prosperity, and people's well-being. It has now become a flower used for national foreign affairs activities, large celebrations, Chinese and foreign flower exhibitions, high-end hall decoration and display, and high-standard ceremonial gifts.
A yellow flower sprinkled with red dots on the petals is called "King's Blood"; a red flower with stripes distributed on the petals is called "Olympic Torch"; and a crimson flower with petals curling around each other is called "Lover's Hot Kiss," and so on.
Carotenoids turn the petals bright orange and yellow; anthocyanins bring light pink, rose red, and deep purple; and tiny air bubbles between the petal cells give the flowers a crystal-clear pure white.
As for black tulips, the most classic variety is named "Night Queen"; its color is produced by the projection of cell protrusions. The flowers of Dutch varieties such as "Dye-faced Widow," "Peerless Beauty," and "Black Queen" are not pure black.
Species and hybrids:
Koufmaniana varieties and hybrids, also called water-lily tulips: the corolla is bell-shaped, the flowering period is early, and the leaves often have stripes.
Fosteriana varieties and hybrids: the leaves are broad with obvious purplish-red stripes, and the corolla is cup-shaped.
Greigii varieties and hybrids: the species leaves have purplish-brown stripes, the corolla is bell-shaped, and the flowers of hybrids with Darwin tulips are extremely large.
Other species, varieties, and hybrids: such as Tulipa pulchella, Tulipa clusiana, T. acuminata, T. tarda, etc.
Artificially hybridized types
Tulips are hybrids produced through nearly a century of artificial hybridization with the participation of multiple parents, with as many as 8000 varieties. Flower shape, flower color, flowering period, and plant form vary greatly. In 1981, tulips were classified abroad into 4 classes and 15 groups.
I. Early-flowering class:
Single early group: plant height 20-25 cm.
Double early group.
II. Mid-season flowering class:
Triumph Tulip: large flowers, single, plant height 45-55 cm
Darwin hybrid group: large flowers, cup-shaped, bright flower colors, plant height 50-70 cm.
III. Late-flowering class:
Single late group: plant height 65-80 cm, cup-shaped flowers, many varieties and many flower colors, such as Queen of Night, which is purple, etc.
Lily-flowered Tulips: petal tips pointed, opening flat, shaped like a lily.
Fringed Tulips: petal edges have crystalline fringed borders.
Viridiflora Tulips: part of the perianth turns green.
Rembrandt Tulips: the corolla has differently colored blotches and stripes.
Parrot Tulips: petals twisted, with jagged edges.
Double late Tulips, also called Paeony Flowered Tulips.
IV. Botanical Species and Hybrids:
Koufmaniana varieties and hybrids, also called water-lily tulips: the corolla is bell-shaped, the flowering period is early, and the leaves often have stripes.
Fosteriana varieties and hybrids: the leaves are broad with obvious purplish-red stripes, and the corolla is cup-shaped.
Greigii varieties and hybrids: the species leaves have purplish-brown stripes, the corolla is bell-shaped, and the flowers of hybrids with Darwin tulips are extremely large.
Other species, varieties, and hybrids: such as Tulipa pulchella, Tulipa clusiana, T. acuminata, T. tarda, etc.
Among the above groups, groups 1-11 were formed after multiple hybridizations, namely common tulips. Groups 12-15 are wild species, varieties, or hybrids, whose original species characteristics are still obvious, so the parent species names are still used as the group names.
Tulip distribution areas
Tulips originated in the high mountain regions of **Tibet, China**, Iran, and Turkey. This species is a widely cultivated ornamental flower, and because of its long history, it has many varieties.
The tulip's original distribution includes the northern and southern coasts of the Mediterranean, Central Asia, Iran, Turkey, and eastward to Northeast China and other places. Its exact origin is difficult to verify, but it is now mostly believed to have originated in Ceylon and toward the southwest of the Mediterranean. Today tulips are commonly planted in every corner of the world, with cultivation being most prevalent in the Netherlands, where it has become commercial production. They are also widely cultivated in gardens throughout China.
China's tulip resources are mainly concentrated in the northwest region. On the wastelands and hills of **, the most commonly seen is the ** tulip, which blooms yellow in early spring. The most widely distributed wild tulip in China is the crow's-foot tulip; it can be seen on hillsides and even in parks in East China and Central China.
In 1593, the first tulip bulb was imported from Constantinople (namely Turkey) by a Dutch merchant named Guesters. It was later widely cultivated in China.
Landscape uses of tulips
Tulips are important spring bulb flowers, suitable for cut flowers or for arranging flower beds and flower borders, and can also be planted in clumps on lawns or under the shade of deciduous trees. Medium and short varieties can be potted. In gardens they are mostly used to arrange flower beds or planted in masses on lawns, in woods, and by water to form overall color-block landscapes.
Tulip uses and ornamental value
Tulips are world-famous bulb flowers and also excellent cut-flower varieties. The flowers are sturdy and upright, the leaves are elegantly plain and beautiful, and the lotus-like flowers are dignified and moving, making them lovable. In Europe and America they are regarded as symbols of victory and beauty, and many countries such as the Netherlands, Iran, and Turkey treasure them as national flowers.
Potted plant uses
Tulip flowers resemble lotus blossoms, with a wide range of colors that are rich and vivid. They are among the world's most famous bulb flowers. In European and American novels and poetry, they are regarded as a symbol of victory and beauty, and can also represent elegance and refinement. They are suitable for decorating courtyards, as cut flowers, and as potted plants.
In China, tulips have three main uses:
1. Landscape exhibition arrangements
The distinctive feature of tulips is that when a single variety is cultivated in the same plot, the flower stems are uniform in length, the blooming times are consistent, and the flower colors and shapes are very uniform. This is the main reason they are so widely popular; secondly, the colors are rich and vivid; thirdly, the flowers are large with unusual characteristics; fourthly, there are many varieties, with differences in flower color, flower shape, flower posture, plant height, leaf shape and leaf color among different varieties. In garden applications, tulips can meet a wide variety of requirements and artistic approaches. From deep in the woods to open lawns, whether by ponds and lakeshores or among rocks and pavilions; whether in Western-style geometric flowerbeds or Chinese-style scenes with small bridges and flowing water, winding railings and secluded paths, tulips can be arranged to create landscapes that harmonize perfectly with nature. Hangzhou's Taiziwan Park has held a tulip flower show every year since 1993, achieving excellent results. Every April, when the tulips in Taiziwan Park are in full bloom, the park is packed with crowds, attracting large numbers of Hangzhou residents and out-of-town tourists. This has not only achieved very good social benefits but also excellent economic benefits, and has greatly expanded the park's fame.
2. Supplying cut flowers and potted flowers during the Spring Festival
The beautiful tulip is an indispensable and wonderful flower in people's lives. During holidays such as Christmas, the Spring Festival, and Valentine's Day, giving a bouquet or a pot of vibrant, spring-filled tulips will add boundless warmth to the occasion.
Feng shui effects
Beneficial to the love luck of people whose Five Elements belong to earth. People born in the Year of the Ox have the Five Elements belonging to earth, and the tulip is their lucky flower. They are emotionally rich and clearly distinguish love and hate, and should seek balance through moderation. There are often ups and downs in their love lives, especially when women place their emotions in entertainment in the outside world, causing disagreements within the family, which must be overcome, and couples must eliminate suspicion. For such a winding love life, planting one's own lucky flower - the tulip - at home can improve one's love luck to a certain extent. In addition, planting tulips at home can also improve their fortunes. Heavenly blessing and good luck protect those born in the Year of the Ox from disaster and turn bad luck into good, and heavenly blessing and good luck shelter those born in the Year of the Ox so that their luck turns around.
The feng shui effect of tulips comes from their fragrance. As we know, the fragrance of tulips can kill bacteria in the air. Bacteria grow in the air, and after we breathe them in, we feel unwell or even become ill. If tulips wash away these harmful components, the chances of feeling unwell and getting sick are reduced[16]. At the same time, they can carry out photosynthesis, inhaling large amounts of carbon dioxide and releasing fresh air. If the carbon dioxide content in the air is high while oxygen is lacking, we feel oxygen-deprived and our minds become unclear. If tulips balance the indoor atmosphere and restore it to a normal state, we can live healthily. A home feng shui that allows us to live healthily and happily is the good feng shui home we all hope for. From this, it can be seen that a good feng shui home comes from tulips.
The dietary therapy or medicinal value of tulips
The medical information and health dietary therapy information on Hugarden Network is for reference only and cannot be used as a basis for diagnosis or medical treatment. Any health problems should be consulted with professional medical personnel, and the treatment of any disease should follow a doctor's advice.
Ultimate flower-protecting mission: To love yourself, start from reality and strictly follow a doctor's advice. For illness, do not be careless, do not delay, do not give up hope, face it bravely, use love to warm the silent world, and use your heart to care for the flower field within.
Medicinal value
Functions and indications: Resolving dampness and eliminating turbidity. Mainly for damp turbidity in the spleen and stomach; chest and abdominal fullness and oppression; vomiting and abdominal pain; bad breath with a greasy tongue coating.
① "Bencao Shiyi": Mainly treats all odors, removes foul qi and gui zhu between the heart and abdomen, and is used in various aromatic medicines.
② "Kaibao Bencao": Abundant in treating various wild poisons, heart qi and gui zhu, and odors such as those of crows and falcons.
Usage and dosage: Internal use: decoct in water, 3-5g. External use: appropriate amount, soak in water and rinse the mouth.
Pharmacological effects: It has been reported that the flowers and leaves contain a toxic alkaloid whose physiological action is similar to veratrine. Tuliposide ABC has an inhibitory effect on Bacillus subtilis. After tulip juice passes through cation and anion exchange resins, it still has an antibacterial effect on Staphylococcus aureus. The alcohol extract of stems and leaves has an antibacterial effect on Bacillus cereus mycoides, and its active ingredients contain a variety of amino acids.
Pharmacological effects
Tulip flowers contain cyanidin bisglucoside, salicylic acid, and arginine; the pistil, stems, and leaves contain the antibacterial tuliposide A, tuliposide B, and a small amount of tuliposide C. Tuliposides A and B can partially convert after storage into inactive 6-tuliposide A and 6-tuliposide B. The buds contain gibberellin A1.
Tuliposides A, B, and C have an inhibitory effect on Bacillus subtilis. After tulip juice passes through cation and anion exchange resins, Staphylococcus aureus still has an antibacterial effect. The alcohol extract of stems and leaves has an antibacterial effect on Bacillus cereus mycoides, and its active ingredients contain a variety of amino acids.
Tulip flowers and leaves contain a toxic alkaloid whose physiological action is similar to veratrine. Tuliposide ABC has an inhibitory effect on Bacillus subtilis. After tulip juice passes through cation and anion exchange resins, it still has an antibacterial effect on Staphylococcus aureus. The alcohol extract of stems and leaves has an antibacterial effect on Bacillus cereus mycoides, and its active ingredients contain a variety of amino acids. The bulbs and roots can also be used medicinally. The roots and flowers can be used as a sedative. The flowers contain a toxic alkaloid; after staying with them for one or two hours, one may feel dizzy, and in severe cases it can cause poisoning, and excessive contact can easily cause hair loss. Nature and flavor: bitter; pungent; neutral.
Medicinal use (traditional Chinese medicine)
Tulip flowers contain cyanidin bisglucoside, salicylic acid, and arginine. The pistil, stems, and leaves contain the antibacterial tuliposide A, tuliposide B, and a small amount of tuliposide C. Tuliposides A and B can partially convert after storage into inactive 6-tuliposide A and 6-tuliposide B. The buds contain gibberellin A1.
Tuliposides A, B, and C have an inhibitory effect on Bacillus subtilis. After tulip juice passes through cation and anion exchange resins, it still has an antibacterial effect on Staphylococcus aureus. The alcohol extract of stems and leaves has an antibacterial effect on Bacillus cereus mycoides, and its active ingredients contain a variety of amino acids.
It has been reported that tulip flowers and leaves contain a toxic alkaloid whose physiological action is similar to veratrine. The bulbs and roots (tulip root) can also be used medicinally.
The origin of the name tulip
Tulips originated in the Middle East and were introduced to Europe in the 16th century. In the Middle East, people always associated them with Muslim turbans. Because their flowers resemble Muslim turbans, Persian called them dulband, and Turkish borrowed the word as tulbend, meaning "Muslim turban." The word entered English through French tulipe/tulipan and Latin tulipa, evolving into the form tulip. The Turkish word tulbend entered English through another channel as turban, still referring to "Muslim turban."
The cultural background of tulips: "Greigii" class tulips make their first appearance in the capital
Right now, in Beijing's Zhongshan Park, green leaves with black spots set off magenta and orange-yellow tulips with white edges, attracting many tourists. These 20 varieties of "Greigii" class tulips introduced from the Netherlands are appearing in the capital for the first time. With the theme of "Return to Nature," the 10th Zhongshan Park Large-scale Tulip Flower Show opened on April 21 and will successively display more than 60 varieties and 300,000 tulips. According to park engineer Meng Lingyang, in addition to some conventional varieties such as 'Orange Bouquet,' 'Happy Time,' and 'Demeanor,' this year's flower show has newly added 20 varieties of the "Greigii" class, including 'Dream Boat,' 'Marianne,' and 'Yellow Dawn.' The characteristics of this type of tulip are early blooming, large flowers, and short plant type. These tulips have different flowering periods, with the latest blooming in early May. The layout of tulips in the park is divided into two types: regular and natural. The regular type is generally arranged in a matrix. The natural type combines with the park's terrain and uses creativity for random placement, achieving a landscape effect in harmony with the environment.
Related legends
When tulips are mentioned, one inevitably thinks of the tulip kingdom - the Netherlands. However, the earliest people to plant tulips were the Turks. The Netherlands' ability to become today's tulip empire should be credited to the director of the Viennese royal herb garden in the 16th century. For religious reasons, this herb garden director moved to the Netherlands and also brought with him the European tulips he had cultivated.
Legend one
In ancient Europe, there was a beautiful maiden who was admired and courted by three handsome knights at the same time. One gave her a crown; one gave her a sword; another gave her gold. The girl was very troubled, not knowing how to choose, because all three men were so outstanding, so she had no choice but to ask the flower god for help. The flower god then turned her into a tulip: the crown became the flower bud, the sword became the leaves, and the gold became the bulb. In this way she simultaneously accepted the love of the three knights, and the tulip also became the embodiment of love. Because the crown represented incomparably noble status, the sword was a symbol of power, and possessing gold meant possessing wealth, in ancient Europe only nobles and celebrities were qualified to plant tulips.
Legend two
Originally there was no purple in the world. One day, someone unknown blended red and blue together, and thus magical purple appeared...
In fact, long ago, tulips had only one color - white. Because in their family, white was the noblest and purest. Finally one day, a prince passed by them. When the prince bent down and stroked their petals, they were instantly stunned. His deep purple pupils emitted a faint glow, and a light purple robe set off his extraordinary temperament. The most dazzling thing was the amethyst ring on his hand. Although it was very small, it seemed to possess magical power. They were clearly fortunate: regardless of his attendants' objections, the prince carefully dug them out of the soil with his own hands and brought them back to the palace. From then on, they lived in a fantasy world full of purple, praying that one day their petals could also turn purple.
In the end, she who stopped at nothing won the prince; while she who was kind gave everything, yet ultimately chose to give up. In the woods, her sword pierced into her chest, and blood gushed out. The prince awoke as if from a dream and held her, crying bitterly. At that moment, she smiled, smiling so brightly, so beautifully... Her blood flowed over this black soil, shimmering with a faint purple light in the sunlight, that weak yet soul-stirring purple radiance!
From then on, a strange and beautiful flower appeared in the world - the purple tulip. The old people said that she represents love that will never fade.
Tulip allusions
Tulip allusion one:
Tulips were introduced to Europe from Turkey in 1554 and immediately became popular. By the 17th century, they had become the target pursued by Dutch frenzied financial speculators. Someone even made up a story: in ancient times, a beautiful maiden lived in a majestic castle, and three warriors fell in love with her at the same time. One gave her a crown; one gave her a sword; one gave her a pile of gold. But she favored none of them, so she had no choice but to pray to the flower god. The flower god deeply felt that love cannot be forced, so he turned the crown into flowers, the sword into green leaves, and the pile of gold into bulbs, and together these became the tulip. Every year on Valentine's Day, for young men and women expressing love, besides roses, tulips have also become the best choice for conveying affection to a lover. This story further deepened the Dutch people's impression of this flower. Some media even promoted a maxim: "Whoever belittles the tulip offends God."
Finally, a "tulip mania" swept across the whole Netherlands and even Europe. Many people believed that "a rich man without tulips is not truly wealthy." Some people were even willing to exchange a distillery or a house for a few rare bulbs. In 1637, the Dutch tulip market collapsed, and the government finally intervened to stop further speculation.
During the period of frenzied speculation, the number of tulips on the financial market exceeded the number actually planted, but these many "dance tunes of madmen" made the Netherlands rich. At the beginning of the 19th century, the whole Netherlands planted only 130 acres of tulips; by the mid-20th century, this had grown to more than 20,000 acres, accounting for more than 80% of the world's total tulip exports and sold in 125 countries, and it was hailed as the "Queen of Flowers." The emergence of this super flagship product made the tulip deservedly become the national flower, and also deservedly be designated, together with windmills, cheese, and wooden shoes, as one of the "four national treasures."
Tulip allusion two:
During World War II, in one winter, the Netherlands suffered famine, and many starving people ate tulip bulbs as food, surviving on tulips. The Dutch, grateful for tulips saving their lives, made the tulip the national flower.
Tulip allusion three:
In ancient Roman mythology, the tulip was the daughter of the god Blatt. In order to escape the one-sided love of the autumn god Belzunu, she asked Diana, the goddess of chastity, to turn her into a tulip flower. Therefore, one meaning of wild tulips is chastity. Of course, the meanings represented by tulips of different colors are different.
Related poetry
The great Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai once wrote a famous poem, "Traveling as a Guest":
Lanling fine wine with tulips, served in jade bowls with amber light.
But if the host can make the guest drunk, he will not know where his native place is.
The Lanling fine wine mentioned in the poem, due to the development of brewing techniques, should be different from today's wine, and the "tulip" referred to should mean that it had the fragrance of the spice and medicine "turmeric." The wine described in the original poem as "tulip" has in fact been lost in later ages.
But it was precisely inspired by this poem that a wine named "Tulip" appeared around the Ming Dynasty. The "Tulip" wines of Lanling Town in Cangshan County, Shandong Province, and Nanxiang Town in Jiading District, Shanghai, are both quite famous.
Tulip wine is made from high-quality white rice after traditional fermentation, blended with more than twenty medicinal materials such as turmeric, angelica, and eucommia. The wine is purple-red and transparent, with high concentration. Drinking it gives a mellow fragrance, a sweet and slightly sour taste, and a slight medicinal flavor. With sugar added, it becomes moderate (25 degrees), and the alcohol content is low (20 degrees), so it is naturally deeply welcomed by men. It is said that women also love to drink it, hence it is called "madam's wine." (Note: The turmeric referred to in traditional Chinese medicine does not mean the flower of the tulip or the bulb of the tulip. The turmeric referred to in traditional Chinese medicine is a plant of the ginger family.)
Wuhan, a sacred place for viewing tulips
At the Tulip Flower Festival held by the Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a total of 5 exhibition areas were set up. In the garden, the flowering periods of early, middle, and late varieties of tulips overlapped, and some areas arranged around water entered their best viewing period. For example, in the exhibition area along the bank of Lianxuan Lake close to the chrysanthemum garden, a scenic spot named "Top of the Rainbow" features yellow, red, white, and purple tulips distributed in bands. Flowers set off the water, and the water reflects the flowers, like a rainbow falling to earth. The reflections of the flowers in the water shimmer, and the delicate flowers and the water complement each other beautifully. Wuhan launched a Wuhan flower-viewing map for the convenience of tourists. In mid-spring, in addition to 600,000 tulips in gorgeous bloom, peach blossoms, pear blossoms, camellias, and others also appeared one after another, while daffodils, irises, rhododendrons, peonies, and Chinese peonies were unwilling to lag behind and also showed their beauty.
The forest-edge exhibition area at the garden entrance is where, in 2013, a tulip scene was first laid out in imitation of Keukenhof Park in the Netherlands. Using the small river flowing through this area, the garden authority created a 60-meter-long, 5-meter-wide "flower stream," whose role is like the "Blue Danube" flowing through Keukenhof Park. In the "flower stream," white tulips have already bloomed, and blue grape hyacinths are also gradually entering their flowering period. It is expected that this weekend, one will be able to see the beautiful scene of blue and white interlacing and swaying gracefully.
Wuhan Dutch Style Garden
The garden has planted many large tree variants reflecting Dutch style, and Dutch-style groundcover plants have been laid out over large areas. In the whole garden, more than 2,000 trees and 24 species of shrubs (including flowers) have been newly added. The flower varieties are full of "Dutch flavor." Tulips and hyacinths are the most famous flowers of the Netherlands. In the flower fields, 22,000 pots of tulips and 6,500 hyacinths have been arranged, with red, pink, and blue all available.
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The 4th Tulip Festival will open at Qinggeda Lake in Wujiaqu City. At that time, 1.2 million tulips of 125 varieties will release their fragrance and adorn the spring scenery of Qinggeda Lake. Qinggeda Lake tourism, with the theme "Colorful Tulips, Charming Wujiaqu," will also be held at the same time.
According to Jiao Mingqi, Party Committee Secretary and Political Commissar of Wujiaqu City under the Sixth Agricultural Division, the annual Tulip Festival has become a bright calling card for Wujiaqu City. Compared with previous editions, the 2013 Tulip Festival is larger in scale and higher in quality. The tulips, budding and blooming, include the delicate beauty of light yellow, the passion of fiery red, the purity of snow, and the nobility of purple-black, complementing the rippling blue waves of Qinggeda Lake.
Kunming
Cuihu Park, Kunming. The sunshine is always warm, and the sky seems especially blue. The long-term mild and humid air makes this place the best residence for tulips. Vast expanses of flower fields stretch beyond sight: bright red, tender yellow, and purple-white flowers float like clouds and mist! Famous tulip varieties such as "Apeldoorn," "Golden Apeldoorn," "Merry Christmas," and "Apeldoorn Beauty" bloom with restraint and refinement, some as brilliant as peonies, some as simple as rhododendrons, and some so full that they bend the branches...
Xining
Theme: "Flower of the Plateau, China's Summer Capital," shaping a new image of "Qinghai-Tibet as One, Starting Point of the Heavenly Road," attracting tourists, gathering popularity, and through large-scale activities in tourism, commerce, culture, and entertainment, displaying the plateau's rich minerals, unique tourism resources, local customs, and regional culture, promoting economic and trade cooperation, advancing the development of tourism, culture, and other industries, comprehensively building the "China's Summer Capital" brand, and enriching the connotation of "China's Summer Capital."
Since 2002, Xining has successfully held five consecutive Tulip Festivals, bringing development opportunities to Qinghai and brand effects to the Summer Capital.
While building a platform for economic and trade cooperation, the Tulip Festival also provides a rare opportunity to develop tourism. With the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, more than 6 million Chinese and foreign tourists have visited Qinghai and been guests in Xining, catching a glimpse of the mysterious charm of beautiful Qinghai.
Jinzhou
On October 6, 2010, at the annual meeting held in Suncheon, South Korea, the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) voted to agree to support and jointly hold the 2013 China Jinzhou World Landscape Art Exposition with IFLA and Jinzhou City. This World Garden Expo was held from May to October 2013 in Jinzhou Longqi Bay New District, lasting 5 months. With the theme "City and Sea, Harmonious Future," this World Garden Expo highlighted marine characteristics, showcased marine culture, and promoted marine civilization.
In the bay flower fields, 5 million tulips bloomed in competition, becoming a major highlight of this World Garden Expo.
As one of the series of activities of the Jinzhou World Landscape Art Exposition, the "Tulip Culture Festival" was held in the garden. Nearly 50,000 sq m and 5 million tulips stretched from the park's land all the way to the seaside, attracting many tourists to stroll and admire the flowers and take photos with them. During the culture festival, 20 "Tulip Ambassadors" were also selected, and tulip calligraphy, painting, photography, and literary works were collected.
This vast flower field is called "Butterfly Love Flower Valley," located in the central part of the World Garden Expo park, with a flower planting area of more than 50,000 sq m and more than 5 million bulb flowers such as tulips planted, making it the world's largest bay flower field. These tulips included more than 100 varieties, such as 'Holland Cape,' 'Evita Peron,' 'Shirley,' 'Orange Emperor,' and 'Beauty.'
Other regions
Beijing Shunyi District International Flowers, Shanghai Botanical Garden, Wuxi Meiyuan Park in Jiangsu Province, Shixiang Lake in Sichuan Province, Xi'an Botanical Garden in Shaanxi Province
Hefei Botanical Garden in Anhui Province, Hangzhou Taiziwan Park in Zhejiang Province, Taoyuan Xiangu Nanyuan Farm in Taiwan, China, Harbin Botanical Garden in Heilongjiang Province
Related festivals of tulips
2007 China-Qinghai Tulip Festival logo. Theme: "Flower of the Plateau, China's Summer Capital," shaping a new image of "Qinghai-Tibet as One, Starting Point of the Heavenly Road," attracting tourists, gathering popularity, and through large-scale activities in tourism, commerce, culture, and entertainment, displaying the plateau's rich minerals, unique tourism resources, local customs, and regional culture, promoting economic and trade cooperation, advancing the development of tourism, culture, and other industries, comprehensively building the "China's Summer Capital" brand, and enriching the connotation of "China's Summer Capital."
Since 2002, Xining has successfully held five consecutive Tulip Festivals, bringing development opportunities to Qinghai and brand effects to the Summer Capital.
While building a platform for economic and trade cooperation, the Tulip Festival also provides a rare opportunity to develop tourism. With the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, more than 6 million Chinese and foreign tourists have visited Qinghai and been guests in Xining, catching a glimpse of the mysterious charm of beautiful Qinghai.
The Tulip Festival has built a "golden bridge." Chinese and foreign tourists come in droves. In this comfortable and pleasant China "Summer Capital," they fully enjoy the customs of the river source and folk culture, carry out economic and trade negotiations aimed at achieving win-win results, enter the Summer Capital Medicine Expo and the Local Famous, Special, and Excellent Products Exhibition and Sales Fair, and experience the connotation of Qinghai in an all-round and multi-angle way.
The May Tulip Festival also boosted Qinghai's popularity and confidence, becoming a "golden calling card" for the provincial capital Xining to promote itself to the outside world.
The tulip bubble economy
In 1593, a Dutch merchant, Gerner, imported the first tulip bulb from Constantinople (Turkey) and planted it. Because this flower was an imported good, owning tulips became a symbol and honor of the wealthy. Rich people had to own tulips to be considered rich, so buying tulips became a symbol for the wealthy to display their wealth, and this trend spread from the Netherlands to Germany. As it happened, at this time tulips were infected with an infectious disease called Mosaic. This disease made tulip petals more vivid, so virus-infected tulips became even more sought after, forming a wave of panic buying.
At first, only tulip experts knew how to appreciate the beauty of tulips, but after the trend formed, people bought tulips only to make money. As the wave of panic buying gradually formed, speculators took the opportunity to hype the market. As long as you bought today, you could earn a profit tomorrow, and this worked repeatedly. Because more people bought, a trading market formed, and trading venues gradually became lively, like a stock trading market.
In 1634, the craze for buying tulips spread to the middle class and further became a nationwide movement. Everyone came to buy and sell tulips. Speculators saw only buying low and selling high, and profit came in. So the whole nation became tulip speculators, and every household poured out the family fortune just to buy one tulip. A tulip bulb worth 1,000 US dollars became 20,000 US dollars in less than a month. With such huge profits, no wonder everyone was dizzy with excitement, neglecting proper work and busy all day buying and selling tulips.
By 1636, tulips were listed on the stock markets of Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and some nearby European stock markets also traded tulips. What is more, some stock markets even introduced options and also split them into small shares, lowering the threshold for speculators so that they could buy fractions of a tulip, increasing the ease of trading. Because of the options, prices were pushed up again. Originally, actual purchase could yield a 20-fold profit within a month; through options, the profit could be magnified 100 times.
When the madness reached its peak, a major holder sold everything and made a big profit. At the same time, the Dutch government began to take braking action, and large quantities of tulips shipped from Turkey were about to arrive. Suddenly, tulips were no longer so rare, and in an instant the price of tulips slid downward. Once the decline started, it actually fell 90% within six weeks. Thus there were wails everywhere, and wealth dreams were shattered. At this point, no matter how much the government tried to support the market, it could not save it. Tulip prices continued to bottom out, so many stock market settlements could not be completed. The Dutch government declared this event a gambling event, exempted settlement, and ended this crazy tulip bubble incident.
It is said that the trigger that caused the collapse of "tulip mania" came from a foreign sailor. The newly arrived sailor mistakenly ate bulbs worth a fortune together with herring as if they were onions. The owner of the bulbs demanded high compensation from the sailor and took him to court, but the judge's ruling was: the inflated price of tulips was caused by speculation and could not represent the value of the tulips themselves. This accidental event was like dropping a bomb, causing speculators to begin reflecting, and then some began frantically dumping. The inflated price of tulips eventually collapsed like a bursting dam. To this day, using the Dutch tulip mania as a typical case, economics calls the bubble-like surge caused by speculative activity, followed by a sharp drop and crash, the "tulip phenomenon."
In the ten years afterward, the Dutch economy slowly recovered from the damage. A tulip worth 76,000 US dollars at the peak was worth only one dollar six weeks later. This is the first recorded bubble incident in history.
Tulips as national flowers and city flowers
The tulip is the national flower of the Netherlands. In addition, the tulip is also the national flower of Turkey, Hungary, and Iran.
The origin of the Netherlands' national flower
Tulips originally grew on China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and were introduced to Europe from Turkey in 1554. From then on they immediately became popular, and by the 17th century they had become the target pursued by Dutch frenzied financial speculators. Someone even made up a story: in ancient times, a beautiful maiden lived in a majestic castle, and three warriors fell in love with her at the same time. One gave her a crown; one gave her a sword; one gave her a pile of gold. But she favored none of them, so she had no choice but to pray to the flower god. The flower god deeply felt that love cannot be forced, so he turned the crown into flowers, the sword into green leaves, and the pile of gold into bulbs, and together these became the tulip. Every year on Valentine's Day, for young men and women expressing love, besides roses, tulips have also become the best choice for conveying affection to a lover. This story further deepened the Dutch people's impression of this flower. Some media even promoted a maxim: "Whoever belittles the tulip offends God."
Finally, a "tulip mania" swept across the whole Netherlands and even Europe. Many people believed that "a rich man without tulips is not truly wealthy." Some people were even willing to exchange a distillery or a house for a few rare bulbs. In 1637, the Dutch tulip market collapsed, and the government finally intervened to stop further speculation.
During the period of frenzied speculation, the number of tulips on the financial market exceeded the number actually planted, but these many "dance tunes of madmen" made the Netherlands rich. At the beginning of the 19th century, the whole Netherlands planted only 130 acres of tulips; by the mid-20th century, this had grown to more than 20,000 acres, accounting for more than 80% of the world's total tulip exports and sold in 125 countries, and it was hailed as the "Queen of Flowers." The emergence of this super flagship product made the tulip deservedly become the national flower, and also deservedly be designated, together with windmills, cheese, and wooden shoes, as one of the "four national treasures."
Another account holds that during World War II, in one winter, the Netherlands suffered famine, and many starving people ate tulip bulbs as food, surviving on tulips. The Dutch, grateful for tulips saving their lives, made the tulip the national flower.
The flower language of tulips. Traditional tulip flower language
Love, charity, honor, beauty, blessing, eternity, confession of love, eternal blessing
Yellow tulip: elegance, preciousness, wealth, cherishing, friendship
Pink tulip: beauty, passion, cherishing, friendship, happiness
Red tulip: confession of love, declaration of love, joy, passion
Purple tulip: noble love, endless love
Black tulip: mystery, nobility
Plateau tulip: pride, standing upright, the beauty of creation, the creation of beauty
Bicolor tulip: beautiful you, happy meeting
Feather tulip: deep affection
Wild tulip: chastity
In European and American novels and poetry, tulips are also regarded as a symbol of victory and beauty, and can also represent elegance and refinement.
New flower language of tulips
The flower language of tulips is universal love, thoughtfulness, elegance, wealth, capability, and intelligence.
Red tulips represent passionate love
Pink tulips represent everlasting love
Yellow tulips represent cheerfulness
White tulips represent pure and noble love
Black tulips represent unique leadership power, confession of love, crown of honor, eternal blessing
Red tulip: declaration of love, joy, passion. Black tulip: mystery, nobility
Purple tulip: noble love, endless love
White tulip: pure affection, purity
Pink tulip: beauty, passion, cherishing, happiness
Yellow tulip: elegance, preciousness, wealth, and friendship, symbolizing sacredness, happiness, and victory.
Red tulip: I love you.
Purple tulip: faithful love.
Yellow tulip: hopeless love
White tulip: lost love.
Black tulip: chivalry (or melancholy love).
The meaning of roses and tulips is the same. Both represent a vow of love:
The Language of Numbers in Flowers
1 stem -- You are the only one in my heart, ONLY YOU!
2 stems -- There are only the two of us in this world!
3 stems -- I LOVE YOU!
4 stems -- Unwavering until death!
5 stems -- Heartfelt appreciation!
6 stems -- Mutual respect, mutual love, mutual understanding!
7 stems -- I secretly love you!
8 stems -- Thank you for your care, support, and encouragement!
9 stems -- Everlasting, ALWAYS!
10 stems -- Perfect in every way, flawless!
11 stems -- My favorite, I care only for you alone!
12 stems -- My love for you grows day by day!
13 stems -- May friendship last forever!
14 stems -- Pride!
15 stems -- I feel sorry toward you, I'M SORRY!
16 stems -- Fickle and restless love!
17 stems -- Desperate, irrevocable love!
18 stems -- Sincerity and candor!
19 stems -- Patience and expectation!
17 stems -- Desperate, irrevocable love!
18 stems -- Sincerity and candor!
19 stems -- Patience and expectation!
20 stems -- I have only one sincere heart!
21 stems -- Sincere love!
22 stems -- Good luck to you!
25 stems -- Wishing you happiness!
30 stems -- Belief in fate!
36 stems -- Romance!
40 stems -- Love pledged unto death!
50 stems -- An unexpected encounter, meeting by chance!
99 stems -- Enduring as the heavens and earth, FOREVER!
100 stems -- One hundred percent love, 100% LOVE!
101 stems -- Most... most beloved!
108 stems -- Marriage proposal!
111 stems -- Endless love
144 stems -- Love you for life after life
365 stems -- Thinking of you every day
999 stems -- Enduring as the heavens and earth
1001 stems -- Until forever
Confession of love, honor, blessings, eternity
Tulip pictures