Development and implementation of botanical tours for tulips of Kazakhstan -
When and where do wild tulips of Kazakhstan bloom -
The Chimgan Tulip (Tulipa tschimganica) is a unique species that adorns the mountain slopes and mountain gorges of Central Asia. Its bright flowers, like precious stones, stand out against the harsh landscapes, making this plant a real gem of the wild. Discovered relatively recently, this tulip has already managed to attract the attention of botanists, photographers and nature lovers. This type of tulip is very similar to Kaufman's tulip (Tulipa kaufmanniana). The tulip was first described in 1971 by botanists who studied the flora of the Chatkal range in Uzbekistan. Its name is associated with the Chimgan mountain range, where this species was first discovered. Since then, the tulip has become an object of study and admiration due to its unique beauty and adaptation to mountain conditions.
The Chimgan tulip flower is his main decoration. The petals are bright yellow, with an orange or reddish tinge at the base. The shape of the flower is cup-shaped, and its diameter reaches 4-5 cm. The outer petals often have a richer shade, which creates the effect of a "fiery splash" among the mountain landscape. The Chimgan tulip blooms in April-May, it prefers open sunny areas with well-drained soils, and often grows on rocky slopes and in river valleys.
How to find see and view -
The Chimgan tulip (Tulipa tschimganica) grows on the territory of Kazakhstan, Turkestan region, Tolebiysky district.
Information -
For those who want to learn more about the Chimgan tulip, we offer guided tours with experienced botanical guides. Our excursions are not just walks, but a real immersion in the world of wildlife. You will learn about how the tulip was discovered, how it adapted to harsh conditions, and why it is so important to the ecosystem. We conduct master classes on plant identification, herbarium collection and study of the flora of the region. Our excursions are organized so that you can enjoy nature without unnecessary worries. For scientists, students and lovers of botany, we offer specialized botanical tours. You will be able to see the Chimgan tulip during its mass flowering, which is a rare and impressive sight. We are conducting research on tulip populations, and you can take part in them. For scientists and students, we offer the opportunity to collect data that can be used in scientific work. We know everything about tulips and are ready to share this knowledge with you. We only offer places where nature has preserved its pristine beauty. We teach our guests to take care of fragile ecosystems.
The Chimgan tulip is not just a flower, it is a symbol of harmony and beauty of mountain ecosystems. Join our tours to see this miracle with your own eyes and create unforgettable memories!
Detailed information -
The Chimgan tulip (Tulipa chimganica) is an amazing plant whose beauty and unique features make it a real treasure of mountain landscapes. Its bulb is egg–shaped, 2.5-3.5 cm thick, and covered with dark brown leathery scales, which are densely dotted with short, straight hairs from the inside, especially at the top and base. The stem together with the pedicel reaches a height of up to 25 cm from the soil level; the pedicel is pubescent and covered with a glaucous coating, giving the plant a special sophistication. The leaves, 3-4 in number, are close together, deviated to the sides, grooved, bluish-green, with light pubescence and cilia along the edge, bordered by a light stripe. The lower leaf is broadly lanceolate, measuring 20-24×7.5–8 cm, and the upper one is narrow—lanceolate, 17-20×2-2.2 cm. At the beginning of flowering, the leaves often exceed the height of the flower, creating a spectacular contrast.
The flower is single, with outer tepals of a wide- or narrow–lanceolate shape, 6.5-9 cm long and 2-3 cm wide, pointed at the top. In red forms, the outer side of the petals has a bluish-purple hue, while in yellow forms it is red—purple, while the base is always yellow. The inner tepals are inversely oblong or inversely oblong-lanceolate, 6.8-9 cm long and 2.5-3.2 cm wide, sometimes with a notch at the top. In red forms, the inner and outer sides of the petals are monophonic, with a yellow fan-shaped spot at the base, while in yellow forms the inner surface is brighter, with a V-shaped red spot below the middle. The stamens are longer than the ovary, but almost twice as short as the tepals. The staminate filaments are yellow, with a brown tinge in the upper part, thin, up to 1.2 cm long. The anthers are yellow or brown, almost twice as long as the filaments, gradually opening, but not curling. The pollen is yellow or brown, and the ovary is yellowish-green, often with a brownish tinge along the ribs, narrowed at the base and elongated at the tip. The box is straw-yellow, narrow-conical, up to 11 cm long and 2.7 cm wide, with a retracted tip.
The Chimgan tulip is found in various places of the western Tien Shan: in the gorge of the Great Chimgan, the Chatkala and Ak-Bulak valleys, the Tashkent Nature Reserve, the upper reaches of Karankulsai and Naugurzaysai along the Angren. It prefers rocky, gravelly or sandy soils at an altitude of at least 1400 meters above sea level. In deep valleys, where the soil is soaked with meltwater from snowfields, this species can grow at lower altitudes, demonstrating its amazing adaptability to harsh mountain conditions.
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