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A bright scarlet species tulip that flowers in late spring. Originally found in the Savoie Alps in France, it
is now thought to be extinct in the wild (though still in cultivation). Recent taxonomic studies treat it
as a synonym for T.gesneriana (probably from Turkey but naturalised in south-west Europe). The species
played a large part in the development of modern tulip cultivars. I bought my bulb from an adventurous garden centre! I had hoped to get seed from the flower to continue future generations but it aged and died without producing any. Paul Christian writes on his Rare Plants website: "This is one of the Neo-Tulips from the Alps of Savoy in France, which have arisen from introductions made during the crusades. Some have already been rendered extinct by ski developments, but their high-altitude, summer-wet home makes them ideal for garden use as they are hardy and long-lived. This species, preserved in Holland, has lovely crimson red flowers with a unique grey-dusted exterior to the bloom, when still in the bud. As a denizen of cool mountains and damp summers, it is perfectly happy in the garden with a minimum of intervention. Though not truly “wild”, the so-called “neo-Tulips” of France are probably ancient introductions of T. gesneriana dating as much as 500 years and are distinct from each other and unique." |
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| 1st May 2010 | ||
