Quiz Question: October 1, 2011

Discussion in 'The Village Square' started by Delly, Oct 1, 2011.

  1. Delly

    Delly In Flower

    Joined:
    May 12, 2010
    Messages:
    312
    Likes Received:
    86
    Location:
    Clintwood Virginia
    The beautiful color-swirling appearance of these tulips is referred to as a 'break'. It's caused by a __________.
     
    Frank likes this.
  2. Loading...


  3. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2005
    Messages:
    29,088
    Likes Received:
    6,286
    Location:
    Scotland
    The beautiful color-swirling appearance of these tulips is referred to as a 'break'. It's caused by a potyvirus.


    Tulip break viruses are spread by aphids, but insecticides are not very effective in disease control. If you have purchased tulips advertised as variegated types, you have most likely bought a cultivar that was bred for these qualities. The streaks, stripes, and blotches should be similar in all plants, not hit and miss as with virus-infected tissue.
     
    Delly likes this.
  4. Jerry Sullivan

    Jerry Sullivan Garden Experimenter Plants Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2010
    Messages:
    7,189
    Likes Received:
    3,056
    Location:
    Chelmsford MA
    When was the last time you saw a sick tulip in the doctors office? Unfortunately for tulips they can not go to the doctor when they catch a virus. They swirl with the consequences.

    Jerry
     
    Delly likes this.
  5. Delly

    Delly In Flower

    Joined:
    May 12, 2010
    Messages:
    312
    Likes Received:
    86
    Location:
    Clintwood Virginia
    The beautiful color-swirling appearance of these tulips is referred to as a 'break'. It's caused by a virus. Wish the viruses I got made me do neat, colorful stuff like that. But alas, guess I'll have to leave the fun up to the tulips.
     
    Frank likes this.
  6. Karrma

    Karrma In Flower

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2011
    Messages:
    264
    Likes Received:
    77
    Location:
    Western Washington State
    Yeah, the virus gave the tulip a rash.
     

Share This Page