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Discovered at the end of the 19th century by the German explorer of northeastern Europe and breeder A.I. Schrenk, the dwarf tulip serves as a natural and priceless decoration for mountain, steppe and desert expanses. The wild plant, named after the discoverer, the Schrenk tulip (Tulipa Gesneriana), is one of the most exquisite representatives of the Eriostemones genus.
Today, undersized curb tulips adorn rakalia, rock gardens, lawns, flower beds and terraces, interior spaces (compositions, bouquets and individual plants in pots). On the territory of Our Country, the plant is called “crooked”, “low tulip”, and it is indeed listed in the Red Book of the Federation. Therefore, digging and forcibly extracting a culture from its natural habitat is prohibited by law.
Delicate aroma, fragile appearance – the hallmarks of the first spring primroses, which include dwarf tulips
Description of dwarf tulips
Among the numerous plants of the Red Book, the dwarf tulip compares favorably with the widest palette of bright colors and shades. The bulbous perennial grows in nature reserves at an altitude of up to 3 thousand m. The compact size of the plant is ideally combined with the exquisite tenderness, fragility and noble grace of the flower:
- plant height – up to 10 cm;
- bulb diameter – 20 mm;
- the shape of the bulb is ovoid;
- bulb cover – golden brown scales with textured fringe;
- leaves are earthy, linear in shape, slightly wavy at the edges;
- leaf color – bright or silvery green;
- the number of leaves – 3 pcs.;
- leaf length up to 12 cm;
- leaf width up to 1 cm;
- the number of peduncles – 1 pc.;
- the shape of the bud is bell-shaped in the process of opening;
- flower shape – convex to the top and narrowed to the base, star-shaped with pointed petals;
- the texture of the petals is velvety;
- the color of the stamens is from purple to light beige;
- flowering period – the end of May or the beginning of June;
- flowering time – 2 weeks.
A unique feature of undersized dwarf tulips is that the color and surface of the inner part of the petals can be radically opposite to their outer. This allows the human eye to perceive the multifaceted color palette of a single miniature flower from various angles.
In the morning, a plant with closed petals can be bright scarlet in color, but by noon a blossoming bud pleases the eye with sunny tints of orange and yellow hues.
The miniature size of dwarf tulips makes them the most popular and sought-after landscape design elements for framing beds with blooming spring primroses.
Are there dwarf tulips in the Red Book of Our Country
The wild miniature Schrenk tulip is a rare representative of the flora, which is on the verge of extinction for a number of reasons:
- uncontrolled plowing of land;
- spontaneous fires;
- forced digging of bulbs by humans for medicinal purposes;
- grazing livestock in protected areas;
- environmental disasters (contamination of water, air and soil with industrial waste);
- commercial destruction of plants for the purpose of sale.
To save the endangered population of early low-growing tulips, a list of measures has been developed on a national scale:
- monitoring and patrolling protected areas during flowering;
- visual agitation about disappearing dwarf tulips;
- a virtual ban on the collection of flowers, seeds, bulbs;
- administrative penalties (fine) for violation of environmental protection measures.
Today, graceful dwarf tulips are artificially cultivated in arboretums, botanical gardens, nature reserves and parks.
The bright color of the dwarf tulip is like a signal sign of help and the need for protection.
Varieties of dwarf tulips
In its natural habitat, the dwarf tulip shows a riot of bright colors. In May, the steppe, desert and mountain expanses are painted in white, orange, yellow, burgundy, scarlet, purple colors.
Recently, undersized border tulips have been very popular in various stylistic areas of landscape design, due to the large number of unique varieties and varieties.
Grade Blue Baby (Baby Blue)
The parade of dwarf tulips opens with a delicate and outstanding variety Blue Baby, which strikes with a dark purple, even color of the buds. Violet-sky Baby Blue bashfully hides the petals under the foliage, as the buds are located literally near the ground.
The flowering of the Blue Baby tulip is a mesmerizing sight that amazes with the rich glow of purple buds.
Variety Yellow Baby (Yellow Baby)
Introduced in 1971, the dwarf terry tulip Yellow Baby of sunny yellow color still pleases gardeners with unusually bright colors. But at the same time, it does not lose its relevance.
The miniature variety of the Yellow Baby tulip is great for growing in indoor pots, it, like a small sun, illuminates the room with a bright yellow color.
Grade Alba Coerulea Oculata (Alba Courelia Oculata)
The unique variety Alba Coerulea Oculata is translated from Italian as “blue-eyed baby”. The central inner part of the petals is painted in dark blue, which is even more outlined by a purple pistil and six bluish-blue stamens with yellow pollen. The white color of the main part of the petals evokes memories of snow-white mountain peaks – the birthplace of classic dwarf tulips.
The graceful and touching variety of tulips Alba Coerulea Oculata is associated with inaccessible and exotic edelweiss from high mountain peaks.
Variety Tet a tet (Tet-a-tet)
Dwarf terry tulips of bright scarlet color with the romantic name Tet a tet are the perfect present for the first declaration of love. As if made of the most delicate red velvet, fragile petals in the form of “kisses” invite you to touch and enjoy the incomparable aroma of spring, purity and freshness.
Tet a tet is one of the most solemn and mysterious varieties of small tulips, which is used with great success in landscape design to decorate low spring borders and lawns.
Variety Persian Pearl (Persian Pearl)
The secret of the magical Persian pearl is hidden in the delicate and fragile petals of the Persian Pearl dwarf tulip. Alternate combinations of lilac and lilac-pearl petals look incredibly beautiful and sublime. The natural magic doesn’t end there. If you look at the inner surface of the petals, the central part of the flower illuminates like a solar disk, which is accentuated by the same yellow stamens with honey-colored pollen.
Persian Pearl has a characteristic inflorescence shape, which evokes associations with the refined East with its graceful lines.
Sort Eastern Star (East Star)
Eastern Star is an amazing star-shaped flower of rich lilac-pink color with delicately pointed and curved petals that will not leave indifferent any person in love with flowers. The delicate and fresh aroma of spring will captivate and beckon, just like the bright yellow cores of fully open inflorescences towards the sun’s rays.
When opened, Eastern Star resembles a bright star, not only because of the bright yellow color of the inner central part of the petals, but also due to the extraordinary shape and curves of the six individual petals of the inflorescence
Planting and caring for dwarf tulips
Experienced gardeners recommend cultivating and planting low-growing curb tulips in open ground in the fall. The best time is late September or early October.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
For miniature tulips, you should select a permanent “place of residence” with the following characteristics:
- sufficient natural light;
- the presence of drainage to remove excess moisture from the soil;
- sufficient level of acidity, looseness and fertility of the soil;
- the most preferable is loamy and sandy loamy soil;
- it is desirable to have sand, caustobiolite, clay in the ground.
When planting flowers in pots, containers or other containers, a prerequisite is the presence of high drainage and a universal substrate for bulbous crops.
Miniature flowers are photophilous plants that should be planted in open areas.
Rules of landing
To get healthy and beautifully flowering mini-tulip plants, you should follow the basic rules for planting a crop:
- for the location of the bulb, a small hole is enough, with a diameter of up to 6 cm;
- the step (distance) between the holes should be up to 10 cm;
- before planting, the bulb should be treated with a weak (0,5-1%) solution of potassium permanganate (treatment time – up to 40 minutes);
- when placing the bulb in the ground, it is not necessary to strongly press down and press the planting material.
To get a beautiful or spectacular lawn or a contrasting spring border, you need to plant bulbs in groups (from 10 pieces). The bulbs are planted in open ground in the middle of autumn, and with the arrival of the first frosts, the planting site is mulched with peat, branches, fallen leaves, and other improvised materials.
Bulbs should be planted before the onset of the first frost to ensure a comfortable wintering for the plant and high-quality flowering in spring.
Watering and top dressing
Fertilizing plants with mineral fertilizers is one of the main rules for caring for dwarf varieties of tulips. The soil should be fertilized immediately during the melting of the snow cover and during the formation of the color (bud). During flowering, phosphate fertilizers are ideal.
Regular watering in symbiosis with loosening and timely removal of weeds will ensure a sufficient level of oxygen supply to the root system, which has a positive effect on the quality and time of flowering.
Timely watering of mini-tulips is especially relevant during the formation of buds.
Reproduction of undersized tulips
Dwarf tulips can be propagated using seeds and bulbs. Gardeners need to be aware that varietal characteristics may not be preserved or not fully preserved during seed propagation.
Reproduction using bulbs is the most optimal and common option for planting lily crops. In mid-autumn, they are dug up, carefully examined, sorted out, sorted and seated.
Low-growing varieties of tulips should be propagated using daughter bulbs to ensure that the quality characteristics of the variety are maintained.
Diseases and pests of dwarf tulips
Dwarf varieties of tulips are considered the most persistent representatives of lilies, for which only gray or white rot can be dangerous if the soil is excessively waterlogged. Infected bulbs must be destroyed upon detection so as not to infect healthy plants with a dangerous disease.
In the cold season, small rodents can “feast” on tulip bulbs. To protect the plant from death, planting material is planted in special nets.
“Sick” plants can be dangerous, therefore, if rot is found on individual individuals, they should be immediately destroyed.
Photo of dwarf tulips
Undersized border tulips are one of the most amazing creations of nature. With the advent of the first spring warmth, they color flower beds and rock gardens, beds, or delight with their flowering in indoor pots. Having planted plants from the Red Book – dwarf tulips on a personal plot or at home, you can enjoy the riot of natural colors and the delicate aroma of the freshness of this spring.
On beds and in separate containers, dwarf varieties of tulips look relevant in combination with other primroses.
With the help of simple compositions and installations from low-growing varieties of tulips, you can create amazing and peaceful corners for rest and relaxation.
Low-growing tulips – colorful and bright stars
Miniature varieties – graceful and gentle inspiration from nature itself
Conclusion
The dwarf tulip is a popular primrose that is commonly used as a staple in landscape design from March to May. To make the local area a source of inspiration in spring days, you can set a bright and joyful mood with the help of beds with miniature tulips. Touching lawns with plants of the same variety, which contrast with spectacular borders or hedges of another variety and color, will always raise the tone and give joyful moments of communication with wildlife.