Description
A super, bright red species with the base of the petals marked with a central black, tear-drop shaped zone, edged with a thin, gold line or a more diffuse gold zone. The flower is a good size in relation to quite a short plant and the colour is stunning.
A glorious Cretan endemic Tulip from cultivated fields and alpine meadows in a small region of the uplands from 450-800m altitude. It increases below ground pleasantly well and has no doubt been helped by agriculture dividing and spreading the bulbs. It is common in a restricted area but declining and it is found nowhere else in the world. It is protected within Crete.
Flowering in the wild starts as the snow melts in spring and this species does like a cold winter rest in cultivation. It does well in a well-drained, loam-based compost but with good drainage though it appreciates plentiful water and feeding during its spring growth period. In summer it should be dry.
Horticultural propagations, from seed and offsets, from material traceable to the Omalos plateau, many years ago. Increase is not difficult but it is slow as is building up the bulbs to size.
Introduced to our lists June 2018.
