Celebi Tulip (Tulipa clusiana DC.)

Çelebi tulip (Tulipa clusiana DC.) is a perennial, bulbous plant belonging to the Liliaceae family. In Türkiye, it is also known as the Bornova tulip, a name derived from Bornova district in İzmir Province, the only known natural habitat of the species in the country. The plant is recognized by its flowers, which feature a white base with red outer bands and can grow up to 60 centimeters in height under natural conditions. It blooms in April and is distinguishable within the Tulipa genus.

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The Çelebi tulip has a slender, upright stem. Its leaves are long, narrow, and lance-shaped, typically gray-green in color. The plant maintains its perennial life cycle through a bulb located underground. The bulb is surrounded by several layers of tunics. Long hairs are present at the throat of the tunic, while short, soft hairs occur at the base; the middle portion is mostly hairless.^【1】

Flowers are solitary and terminal. The tepals are six-parted, red on the outside and white on the inside. Inner tepals may be equal in length to or slightly wider than the outer ones. Filaments are straight and hairless. The plant can propagate both by bulb and by seed. After flowering, fruit capsules develop, within which seeds mature.

The Çelebi tulip (Tulipa clusiana DC.) occurs naturally across Central Asia, extending to Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and some Mediterranean countries. These regions define its natural distribution range. In Türkiye, however, its natural distribution is confined solely to the Bornova district of İzmir Province.

No field surveys in subsequent years have recorded the presence of the species in this area. As a result, it was once believed that the natural population had become extinct.

In 2019, the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute launched efforts aimed at reintroducing the species to Türkiye. Surveys conducted in İzmir and Aydın provinces failed to locate any natural populations, but specimens cultivated as ornamental plants in private gardens were found. Bulbs and seeds collected from these specimens were propagated and incorporated into conservation programs.

The Çelebi tulip (Tulipa clusiana DC.) is a species adapted to arid and semi-arid climatic conditions. It thrives in well-drained, loose, and organic-rich soils. In its natural habitat, it prefers open slopes, stony areas, and sunny inclines.

The Bornova–Kurutepe region, the sole natural habitat of the species in Türkiye, exhibits Mediterranean climate characteristics. This area has hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. The species enters a dormant phase as a bulb during winter months, sprouts in early spring, and blooms in April.

The growth and flowering periods of the plant are sensitive to temperature and moisture balance. Overgrazing, habitat degradation, and soil compaction are among the factors negatively affecting its natural regeneration. In reintroduction efforts, selecting ecological sites similar to the natural habitat is critical for the species’ successful adaptation.

^{Çelebi Tulip – Bornova Tulip (}AA⁾

The Çelebi tulip (Tulipa clusiana DC.) is a species with an extremely limited distribution in Türkiye’s flora and was long considered extinct in the wild. The only documented natural occurrence in the country is at the Kurutepe site in Bornova district, İzmir Province. After this 1984 record, subsequent field surveys failed to locate the plant in its natural environment, reinforcing the belief that it had disappeared entirely from the wild.

Research conducted under a 2019 project initiated by the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute revealed that no natural populations remain in the wild in Türkiye, but specimens cultivated as ornamental plants in private gardens still exist. Therefore, the species is currently classified as extinct in the wild but persisting in cultural environments in Türkiye.

To restore the species to its natural habitat, new individuals propagated from bulbs and seeds have been cultivated under controlled conditions, with plans to reintroduce them into the wild. As part of this initiative, a protected area within the Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks in Bornova has been designated for reintroduction.

Reintroduction efforts for the Çelebi tulip (Tulipa clusiana DC.) were initiated in 2019 by the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute and supported by the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The project aims to restore the species to Türkiye’s flora after its presumed extinction in the wild.

Under the project titled "Reintroducing a Species Lost from Our Nature: The Case of Çelebi Tulip (Tulipa clusiana DC.)," field surveys were carried out in İzmir and Aydın provinces during 2020 and 2021. No natural populations were found, but cultivated specimens were identified. Bulbs and seeds collected from these specimens were used for propagation efforts.

Bulbs were treated with fungicide and planted in propagation beds, yielding positive results in vegetative propagation. Simultaneously, seed-based propagation and tissue culture experiments were conducted, resulting in plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis.

To facilitate the reintroduction of newly produced individuals, a plantation has been planned in a protected area under the jurisdiction of the Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks in İzmir Province. This initiative aims to establish a sustainable wild population and ensure the species’ return to natural habitats.

^{Çelebi Tulip – Bornova Tulip (}AA⁾

The Çelebi tulip (Tulipa clusiana DC.) is scientifically significant due to its restricted distribution in Türkiye’s flora and its prolonged absence from the wild. It holds taxonomic value as a botanically distinctive member of the Tulipa genus and one of the rarest naturally occurring species in the country.

In scientific research, the Çelebi tulip has served as a key model species for studies on the taxonomic boundaries of the Tulipa genus, analysis of tunic structure, and evaluation of floral color variation. It has contributed valuable data to the accurate identification and classification of tulip species.

Culturally, the Çelebi tulip has acquired regional identity as the “Bornova tulip.” Closely associated with Bornova district, it symbolizes the preservation of local plant diversity and the sustainability of biological heritage. Efforts to restore its natural presence have contributed to raising awareness of local flora among the community.