Wild tulips of Valais

Do you fancy wild tulips, which are nowhere else to be found or are at least extremely rare? In the canton of Valais there are two species of wild tulips.

The Grengiols tulip - grows only in Valais

Have you heard of the Grengiols tulip? This wild tulip grows in the municipality of Grengiols in the canton of Valais and nowhere else in the world. It was discovered in 1945 by the botanist Eduard Thommen, who named it Tulipa grengiolensis after the place where it was found. Its exact origin is still unclear. However, it is assumed that it found its way to Grengiols through the Romans, as the Roman road used to lead through the municipality.

Refuses to grow outside Grengiols

But what does the Grengiols tulip look like? It is almost always bright yellow, sometimes has red striped edges and is rarely completely red. Nevertheless, it is very special. For centuries, it has grown only in Grengiols and has refused to be planted outside this region. It would have almost disappeared if Alex Agten had not fought for its preservation. Since 1996, as president of the local tulip society, he has been working to preserve and propagate his native tulip.

Grows only in winter rye fields

The problem for the survival of this tulip is that it only grows as a companion flower in winter rye fields and that the cultivation of rye has strongly decreased throughout Switzerland. Therefore the Grengiols tulip only grows today in the small rye fields typical of the Valais. This is thanks to the protection of Pro Natura and the local Tulip Society. Since 1994, they have been ensuring that the winter rye is sown again, and the tulips are planted. Depending on the weather, the tulips bloom in the second half of May and delight visitors from all over Switzerland.

Extremely rare and therefore protected - the Törbel tulip

In addition to the Grengiols tulip, another rare species of wild tulip thrives in Törbel in the Upper Valais: the strictly protected «Tulipa sylvestris australis». What does it look like? It is between 20 and 50 cm high and its petals are yellow with a slight reddish tint on the outside. The flowers only open in warm, sunny weather and then curl outwards in a star shape. The bright yellow of the delicate flower is thus clearly visible. The Törbel tulip is a mountain plant. That's why it can also be found in other parts of the world, such as Morocco, Algeria, Spain, and the Balkans.