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Growth & Population

(Wilson)

Francesca Knier

Fauna & Flora International Moved up [1]:

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Table of Contents
Executive Summary......................................................................................................................... 2 Deleted: Abstrac
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Warming Temperatures Make It Harder for Tulip Bulbs to Cool ................................................... 2 Deleted: 2
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Starting Bulbs in Temperature-Controlled Environments ............................................................... 3 Formatted: Line spacing: single, Tab stops: Not at 6.49"
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Forcing Bulbs .............................................................................................................................. 3 Deleted: 3
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Cold Treatment ............................................................................................................................ 5 Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman, 12 pt, Not
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More Resources for Forcing Bulbs Will Help Sustain the Tulip Population .................................. 5
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The Temperature Is Constant ...................................................................................................... 5 Not Italic
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Forcing Bulbs Will Keep The Tulip Population Thriving All Year Long .................................. 6 Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman, 12 pt, Not
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Forcing and Tulip Species ........................................................................................................... 6
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Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Deleted: 6
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Table of Figures
Figure 1: Global Mean Temperature (Kirtman). ............................................................................. 3 Field Code Changed

Figure 2: Tulip varieties for forcing (Trinklein).............................................................................. 4 Field Code Changed

Figure 3: Morphological characteristics of bulbs regarding cold treatment duration, planting Field Code Changed

depth for an early spring blooming (Cantor). .................................................................................. 5

Figure 4: (van Slogteren). ................................................................................................................ 6 Deleted: 5

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Executive Summary Deleted: Abstract

Global warming and the Earth’s rising temperatures are increasingly displaying negative effects
on various plant species, one of those being tulips. Tulips are one of the prettiest types of
flowers, bringing great beauty into this world; in fact, the “genus Tulip consists of 100-150
species, it ranks first among bulbous ornamental for its brilliant colour and exquisite flowers”
(Nayeem, 34). These perennials are one of the most beautiful signs of spring and signify the end
of a cold winter. “Tulips are native to Central Asia, and they are found growing in mountainous
areas where winters are cold” (Morgan). With scientists predicting the Earth’s global
temperature to increase in the future (Figure 1), this poses a real threat to the tulip population and Deleted: climate in
their ability to grow under proper conditions. Deleted: Kirtman

To produce a successful bloom, tulips must experience a cooling period (naturally during a cold
winter); because of this, they are not often seen in warmer, more tropical climates. Without
fulfilling this cold requirement, tulips will not grow and bloom above ground. In the article
“Tulips, Chill, and Climate Change,” the author explains how “as temperatures increase and
winters become milder, it will become more difficult to grow crocus, tulip, and hyacinth because
of the lack of chill factor” (Morgan). Building on that, Morgan also explains how the key
ingredient to keeping the life cycle of a tulip alive is the temperature in which it exists.

In search of a solution to preserve tulips and keep their population strong, researchers have
discovered a way to grow and develop tulip bulbs indoors; this is known as the process of
forcing bulbs. With these bulbs undergoing their cold treatment in an environment that is
temperature and humidity controlled, the bulbs have a much higher chance of growing correctly,
and eventually be able to enter the flowering stage, which is what people most look forward to.
Ultimately, the solution to keeping the tulip population thriving requires human intervention via
the process of applying proper cold treatments and forcing bulbs; creating more resources for
applying cold treatments and forcing bulbs is needed to sustain the tulip population.

Warming Temperatures Make It Harder for Tulip Bulbs to Cool

One of the most important factors in growing tulips is their cold treatment, which eventually
stimulates flowering within them. In an article about habitat predictions for tulips, this process is
referred to as vernalization, which “depends on cold temperature as a trigger for the initial Deleted: other words, “vernalization, common in bulbous
growth of bulbs” (Davron). Naturally, “root growth occurs rapidly after planting in autumn, plants, …
when the soil temperature decreases, the apical bud, which has already differentiated the aerial
organs also starts to elongate, but this growth is very slow during winter” (Nayeem, 36). As
stated, the cold temperature of the soil is what triggers this process. If the cold temperature is not
endured for the correct amount of time, the tulip bulb may not grow or develop properly, which
could result in no flowering or bloom.

As seen in Figure 1, the average global temperature has been on the rise, proving that climate
change is real, and it is happening. In this figure, Ben Kirtman not only proves that the average
temperature has increased over the past fifty years, but also that the overall prediction for the
future is increased temperatures. In the article “Wild Tulips under Threat,” researcher Brett

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Wilson from Cambridge University explains the severity of the effects that climate change is
having and will have on the tulip population across the globe. According to Wilson, “all tulips
look like they will lose habitat due to the impacts of climate change and many will have no
suitable habitat left by 2050 at all.” Wilson goes on to explain how wild varieties of tulips are
expected to migrate to higher altitudes where the temperatures are cooler. Additionally, tulips’
flowering and growth will change based on the increasing temperature and other factors of
climate change (Wilson).

Figure 1: Global Mean Temperature (Kirtman).

Tulips are plants that “can be extremely hardy, even though they are a fragile flower” (Wilson).
According to the “Suitable habitat prediction with a huge set of variables on some Central Asian
tulips” article, climate change affects the species T. lehmanniana the greatest (Davron). While
some species may be affected more than others by the rising temperatures associated with
climate change, it is important to note that if temperatures continue to rise in the future, all tulips
will eventually be affected as it is natural for tulip bulbs to develop under cold conditions.

Starting Bulbs in Temperature-Controlled Environments

Tulip bulbs can be cooled and then warmed in a controlled, indoor environment, increasing the
bulbs’ chances of developing correctly and blooming. The process of forcing bulbs includes a
cold treatment, which is the crucial step in this process that would help negate the effects of
climate change on the tulip population. This process can be applied to many different species of
tulip, however there is variation in the timing of the process from species to species. Figure 2
lists the different varieties and what time of year the process should be started for that specific
variety.

Forcing Bulbs

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A solution to growing tulips amid climate change and global rising temperatures are to start the
bulbs in an indoor, temperature-controlled environment, and then “force” them to flower/bloom.
This is often referred to as forcing bulbs. Forcing bulbs entails five main stages which include
preparation, potting, rooting, top-growth, and bloom (Trinklein). The preparation and potting
stages consist of treating the bulbs for possible diseases and potting them in a “well-drained
potting medium such a blend of Sphagnum peat, vermiculite and perlite” (Tricklein). This
preparation/potting stage is very important as this makes up part of the bulb’s growing
environment. The middle stage, rooting, is where the cold treatment takes place; this is the main Deleted: important
part of the forcing process when using it specifically to ensure the bulbs are cooled for a long
period of time. It is important to remember that the time to bring a bulb from the cold treatment Deleted: T
into a warmer environment for the top growth and blooming stage of forcing depends on the
variety of tulip. Figure 2 lists numerous varieties of tulips and when to bring them in to begin the
forcing process.

Figure 2: Tulip varieties for forcing (Trinklein).

Ultimately, the process of cold treating tulip bulbs to then eventually force them into bloom
provides a way to continue to grow live tulips despite climate change and the globe’s warming
temperature.

4
Cold Treatment
By starting tulip bulbs in a temperature-controlled environment, it is significantly easier to keep
these bulbs at a consistent, constant temperature, setting them up for success. The most important
component to successfully applying the cold treatment process is to keep a constant temperature.
In “Technological Solutions and Indoor Use of Forcing Bulb Plants,” it is emphasized that “the
cold treatment key is keeping the bulbs at temperatures of 5 degrees C for 10 – 15 weeks,
depending on the species…” (Cantor, 71). As Cantor states, the temperature remains the same,
however the duration for which the bulb undergoes the cold process depending on the species.
As seen in Figure 3, the Tulipa gesneriana species (a common ornamental tulip species), requires
a cold treatment of twelve to fourteen weeks, which is on the longer end when comparing tulips
to other plant species. A comparison of the tulip species to some other commonly cooled and Deleted:
forced bulbs including lilies, crocuses, and daffodil, among others can be seen in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Morphological characteristics of bulbs regarding cold treatment duration, planting depth for an early spring blooming
(Cantor).

More Resources for Forcing Bulbs Will Help Sustain the Tulip
Population
The Temperature Is Constant
The success of a tulip relies heavily on the temperature it is grown in. In fact, in the article
“Inside greenhouses for cultivation of tulip flowers,” it states that “among various environmental
factors, temperature is the most important factor affecting growth physiology of tulip. There is an
obligatory temperature requirement for tulip growth. It requires warm (17 degrees C), cold (2-9
degrees C) and warm (17-20 degrees C) temperature in sequence” (Nayeem, 37). Building on
that, when forcing bulbs by chilling them in a controlled environment and then taking them out Deleted: W
and exposing them to a warm environment, the temperature is controllable and therefor constant. Deleted:
This takes away the worry of whether the temperature will be too warm or too cold, thus serving
as a solution to successfully growing tulips in a world where climate change is happening. Figure
4 visually describes the importance of temperature in the growth outcome of tulips; this gives a Deleted: further exemplifies
visual example of how rising temperatures’ effects on tulips can be combatted through the Deleted:

5
process of cold treatments and forcing, as the perfect environment for tulips is provided
throughout this process.

Figure 4: (van Slogteren).

Forcing Bulbs Will Keep The Tulip Population Thriving All Year Long
An additional pro to applying cold treatments and forcing these tulip bulbs to grow and bloom is
that “forcing is a technique that imitates the environmental conditions that bulbs encounter
outdoors, thereby tricking them into flowering earlier” (Cantor, 74). Because the environmental
conditions are entirely controlled by humans during this process, this process can take place
anywhere where there are resources, as well as anytime throughout the year. This makes the
addition of facilities to cool and force bulbs an even better solution to sustaining the tulip
population as these facilities and resources will be used year-round, making them a worthy
investment.

Forcing and Tulip Species Deleted: s

Forcing tulips by putting tulip bulbs through a cold treatment is the perfect way to keep the tulip
population thriving as the effects of climate change become stronger, however, this solution may
be harder to implement when it comes to more uncommon, wild species of tulips. As seen in
Figure 2, certain varieties of tulips are better than others for the process of forcing (Trinklein).
Additionally, the process usually begins “by choosing high quality bulbs” (Cantor, 71). Keeping
in mind the numerous numbers of species of tulips there are, it may be hard to find bulbs of all
the species or find high enough quality of bulbs of each species to keep them all alive. This
acknowledgment is important to keep in mind as every species may not be saved by
implementing this solution.

Conclusion
Earth’s rising global temperature is a threat for many things, especially the ability of tulips to
fully develop, putting their population at great risk, and even the possibility of possible
extinction in the years to come. These beautiful flowering bulbs must have the proper
temperature conditions required to develop properly so that they can flower/bloom; without a

6
lengthy period of cool temperatures sitting just above freezing, these flowers have much lower
chances of surviving and blooming. To help sustain the tulip population, human intervention
must take place. The process of applying a cooling treatment to bulbs in a temperature-controlled
environment for several weeks, followed by bringing the developed bulbs back into warmer
temperatures is proven to increase the chances of these bulbs flowering and blooming. With that
stated, more resources like vernalization centers and facilities are needed to aid tulip growth and
sustain their population throughout the climate change and global warming that Earth is
experiencing.

7
References
Cantor, M., and Camelia Gheorghita. "Technological Solutions and Indoor Use of Forcing Bulb

Plants."

Davron, Dekhkonov, et al. "Suitable habitat prediction with a huge set of variables on some

Central Asian tulips." Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity 16.1 (2023): 75-82.

Kirtman, Ben, et al. "Near-term climate change: projections and predictability." Climate Change

2013: The Physical Science Basis. IPCC Working Group I Contribution to AR5.(2013):

953-1028.

Morgan, Sally. “Tulips, Chill and Climate Change - Adapting The Tulip for Your

Garden.” Lowimpact.Org Home - Sustainable Living Info, Courses, Products & Services,

14 Sept. 2022, www.lowimpact.org/posts/tulips-chill-and-climate-

change#:~:text=As%20temperatures%20increase%20and%20winters,to%20trigger%20th

e%20flowering%20cycle. Accessed 05 Nov. 2023.

Nayeem, M., and Adnan Qayoom. "Inside greenhouses for cultivation of tulip flowers." Int. J.

Adv. Prod. Mech 1 (2015): 34-44.

Trinklein, David H. "Forcing bulbs for indoor bloom." (2022).

van Slogteren, Egbertus. "The influence of climate and storing-conditions on the flowering of

flower-bulbs." Proceedings of the VIIth International Congress of Refrigeration. 1936.

Wilson, Brett. “Wild Tulips under Threat.” Cambridge Botanic Garden, 29 Apr. 2021,

www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/wild-tulips-under-

threat/#:~:text=All%20tulips%20look%20like%20they,which%20may%20require%20hum

an%20intervention. Accessed 04 Nov. 2023.