A Puzzling New Development
By fishtiger58
@fishtiger58 (29819)
Momence, Illinois
April 15, 2016 9:35am CST
As some of you know I have yellow tulips, lots and lots of them. They have been growing and spreading in one of my flower gardens for about 12 years now. I have mentioned that they bloom yellow and in just 2 or 3 days they turn orange. I have posted pictures of this.
As puzzling as this is to me, a new development occurred today which I certainly can't explain and it's never happened before. I took my morning coffee and walked around looking at my flowers as I do every morning when the flowers are blooming.
As I came upon the patch of yellow tulips I discovered that one of the tulips had 4 petals showing bright red. The other tulips are showing the anticipated orange color but never ever in the 12 years having these yellow tulips have we ever had them go red. And it's only just the one tulip.
I wonder what the heck is going on with those yellow tulips. I took this shot of the yellow going red tulips just a few minutes before posting this discussion.Very very strange to say the least.
16 people like this
17 responses
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
It's an interesting thought, they have been at my tulips for years though.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
Awesome I bet you were excited.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153544)
• India
16 Apr 16
That must be the job of butterflies - cross pollination. It happened here once with our hibiscus.
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@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
Did it really. I wonder why it took so long, these tulips have been in the same place for 12 years.
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@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
@allknowing No kidding you think you have it all figured out and they throw something unexpected at you.
@LadyDuck (502194)
• Italy
16 Apr 16
@fishtiger58 May be it took time and several new generations of flowers before the genetic change.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
It's a thought, but they have been growing here in the same bed for 12 years I wonder why just this year they did this.
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@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
17 Apr 16
@LadyDuck that could be as well, and whatever it is I love the look.
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@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
15 Apr 16
Very strange Valerie, always orange they turn into, never ever this.
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@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
15 Apr 16
@fishtiger58 Maybe something on the wind caused it to happen.
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@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
@just4him I wish I knew it's driving me nuts not knowing why this happened.
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@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Apr 16
@fishtiger58 It has happened before.
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@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
19 Apr 16
That would be great. A new species of tulip lol.
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@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
20 Apr 16
@JudyEv Apparently it's happening right here in my flower garden.
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@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
15 Apr 16
That's interesting. I wonder why? Do you think it's different soil? The flower looks beautiful still though. 
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@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
15 Apr 16
Same soil, we don't pull up our bulbs in the fall like some do. Same flower bed they have always been in.
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@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
16 Apr 16
@fishtiger58 Like Valerie mentioned - This is strange, but your tulips are still beautiful!
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@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
@infatuatedbby Thanks I think so too.
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@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
Thanks glad you like it. Very odd and making me crazy to figure out the why.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
15 Apr 16
but 'tis beautiful! i dunno why some schtuff seems to mutate to other colors, outside'f rosebushes that've been grafted 'nto hardy stock 'n then the grafted part perishes'n the stronger one flourishes.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
15 Apr 16
It's very strange, I was stunned when I saw this, this morning. It's still pretty though.
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@moffittjc (128831)
• Gainesville, Florida
16 Apr 16
Although I'm no expert on plants, there may be a couple of possibilities: 1) the makeup of the nutrients in the soil could possibly effect the color; 2) it could be a genetic defect or "hiccup" in the plant's DNA; 3) the plant could have cross-mated, or bees could have cross-pollinated plant. Generally, I would go with option 1, as soil/nutrient conditions can most easily affect a plant.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
It could be number 1 they have been in the same flower bed for like 12 years. We don't even take the bulbs out in the fall like many do. So yea it's a mystery
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
16 Apr 16
I'm just jealous that you have them blooming. Its still too cold here. I have no idea what is happening either. Makes a good looking Tulip too, a noticeable one compared to the regular!
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
It does just pop in this patch of yellow going orange tulips. Almost all of my tulips have bloomed or will this weekend. We have temps in the 70's for the next like 10 days. yeaaaaaaaaa
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
So very beautiful, I agree, strange as well.
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@CRK109 (14556)
• United States
16 Apr 16
@fishtiger58 Incredible! So it has to be the fairies! :)
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@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
These bulbs are at least 12 years old. They do spread every year but they are the same as they have always been. Fairies maybe that's the answer. Very strange to say the least.
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@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
@CRK109 That can be the only answer.
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@cindiowens (5120)
• North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
16 Apr 16
I have no idea, but it is beautiful.
1 person likes this
@cindiowens (5120)
• North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
16 Apr 16
@fishtiger58 It is a rebel flower, lol.
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@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
@cindiowens It must be never thought of that. The little rascal.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Apr 16
I love it but why is making me crazy lol.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
15 Apr 16
I wonder if it is like with hydrangeas the acidity of the soil affects the color? Just a thought I have no idea.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
15 Apr 16
I suppose it could be, it sure surprised me this morning.
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