Where to find endemic tulips in Cyprus?

The famous endemic Cypriot tulips are a rare and specially protected species of tulips that mainly grow in the north of the island.

• What do they look like?
• Where and when to find them?
• Conservation status

What does the Cypriot tulip look like?

The Cypriot tulip is an erect perennial bulbous plant 15-40 cm tall in bloom, with bare, bluish leaves. It has four leaves. The two lower ones are larger, from 10 to 20 cm in length and from 2 to 6 cm in width, with noticeable wavy edges, while the two upper leaves are much smaller, almost linear. The plant has a single cup-shaped flower, consisting of six segments, reaching up to 9 cm in height, blood-red in color, with a black spot inside, bordered by a yellow zone.

Where and when can it be found?

The Cypriot tulip blooms in March and April. The endemic grows on cereal fields, often next to junipers and date palms, at an altitude of 100-300 meters above sea level.

In Northern Cyprus, the flower can be found around the Kormakitis Peninsula, in the foothills of the Kyrenia Range on the road from Guzelyurt to Girne. Primarily — in the area of the villages Çamlıbel (Myrtou), Koruçam (Kormakiti) and Geçitköy (Panagra). The Cypriot tulip is also sometimes found on the Karpaz Peninsula in the vicinity of the village Avtepe (Agios Simeon).

In the southern part of Cyprus, the flower can be found in the Akamas Peninsula area, in the village Polemi. The links in the text are locations on Google Maps.

Conservation status

In Latin, the flower's name is Tulipa cypria. The tulip is a specially protected species and is included in the Red Book of Cyprus, where it is classified as endangered.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the tulip is also classified as endangered, just one step away from the 'extinct' category.

The importance of the flower is highlighted by the fact that a festival dedicated to the plant was opened by the President of the TRNC, Ersin Tatar, who stated that in protecting the tulip flower, one should also protect the soil, plants, and nature of the island.

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