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Tulipa turkestanica

Turkestan Tulip

Family LiliaceaeGenus Tulipa

A white star-shaped flower with a bright yellow center and dark-tipped stamens, its six tepals spread wide.
FlowerBjörn S...CC BY-SA 2.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
bulbous geophytePlants of the World Online
Flower
Ivory white, pinkish redWikipedia
Native range
Kirgizstan, Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan, XinjiangGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Eduard von Regel described the Turkestan tulip in 1873 as a variety of Tulipa sylvestris, and it was made a species two years later. Like other tulips of its group, it cannot be crossed with garden tulips. It holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Wikipedia: Tulipa turkestanica

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around November 10, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 56 days.

50% germination in 21–56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Tulipa p. 226Public domain
Show the original text
Tulipa (Llllaceae). Germination takes place either at 40 or after a 3 m period at 40: Preliminary results indicate that the seedlings must grow at low temperatures as a quick shift to 70 generally led to rotting starting at the tip of the radicle. Outdoor treatment needs to be tried not only for the germination but also for the cotyledon development. GA-3 probably has no effect in this genus. T. turkestanica germ. best in 70-40(50% in 3-8 w•) and 40(30%)-70(30%) using either fresh seed or seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40. When sown at 40 germination was less convenient as it extended over two cycles.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Tulipa p. 226. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    30 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 1 run on after germination.

Germination happens during step 1; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

30% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Tulipa p. 226Public domain
Show the original text
Tulipa (Llllaceae). Germination takes place either at 40 or after a 3 m period at 40: Preliminary results indicate that the seedlings must grow at low temperatures as a quick shift to 70 generally led to rotting starting at the tip of the radicle. Outdoor treatment needs to be tried not only for the germination but also for the cotyledon development. GA-3 probably has no effect in this genus. T. turkestanica germ. best in 70-40(50% in 3-8 w•) and 40(30%)-70(30%) using either fresh seed or seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40. When sown at 40 germination was less convenient as it extended over two cycles.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Tulipa p. 226. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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