Field of Science

Friday Fabulous Flower - a species tulip



Finally had a break in the cold, dreary weather.  Now things held back are flowering at a pace TPP cannot keep up with.  This particular tulip burst into flower with the first dose of sun and warmth.  It's a species tulip, not some horticultural variety or hybrid.  As best TPP can determine this is Tulipa urumiensis, probably native to Turkey or Iran, an area of high diversity in this genus.  The uncertainty arises when you buy packs of mixed species for fun.  This particular species naturalizes pretty easily and its quite attractive, a bright, cheerful, somewhat fragrant, reminder of spring, in the middle east.  The only downside is that the flowers only open when the sun is shining on them.  

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