On March 8, at Keukenhof Castle on International Women’s Day, U.S. Ambassador Shefali Razdan Duggal baptized a tulip with her name: Tulipa Shefali. The tulip comes from Maveridge International’s breeding program in St. Maarten and grew out of a years-long project for strong and healthy tulips. This makes it a very sustainable tulip!
Ambassador Shefali Razdan Duggal stated, “It is a genuine and surreal honor to be included amongst such a remarkable group of individuals who have received this recognition. The tulip is a beautiful flower that has been cherished and loved for centuries and so positively represents the Kingdom of the Netherlands. As the first Ambassador to receive the high honor of having a tulip named after me, it is so befitting to unveil the “Shefali Tulip” today, on International Women’s Day. Throughout history, women have been forced to overcome gender bias and discrimination, and we have worked hard and continue to work hard to reach milestones. We do this for ourselves and for future generations of women to be seen, to be heard, to be included, and to be empowered.”
Tulip breeding is a long-term endeavor. Accordingly, the origin of the Shefali tulip dates back to 2009. One of the crosses in the project was Tulipa Lucky Strike with a strong cutting tulip. This Lucky Strike is resistant to “Fusarium,” a fungus that attacks tulip bulbs and has been causing problems for years. The result of the cross was a new tulip that is very insensitive to this fungus.
Before reaching this stage, the tulip had to go through a long and rigorous selection process. From the seed that came from the cross grew a bulb. In the fall of 2014, the bulb was planted in the greenhouse among 5,000 other new bulbs. By then, some 2,500 hybrids had been discarded. In February 2015, the tulip came into bloom. This tulip stood out because of the beautiful colors of the buds and the vibrant green. Additionally, the structure was nice and tight, making it easy to create bunches of this tulip by machine. Therefore, the tulip was selected for further trials.
Throughout the entire process from seed to further growth, the company does not apply any plant protection products against Fusarium, allowing for natural selection. The tulip was initially known by number 15-15. As one of the few, 15-15 survived this strict selection. An added bonus is that number 15-15 also grows very easily and propagates well. A rough estimate is that within 5 to 7 years, several hundred thousand bulbs will be available for practice. Tulipa Shefali can be drawn into bloom from early January until Mother’s Day as a cutting tulip in greenhouses. The tulip has a beautiful pink-colored efflorescence and also comes out very nicely in color in the vase when picked very immature.
“Celebrate International Women’s Day with a tulip named after a prominent woman: the American Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Today, the interpretation of Women’s Day is centered on motherhood, beauty, and spring. On Women’s Day, support the important women around you with flowers as a sign of appreciation.”
International Women’s Day 2024 has a special focus on equality, for a more inclusive world, inspiring others to understand and value women’s inclusion and inspiring women to truly be themselves and be included.
Ambassador Shefali Razdan Duggal is an advocate for inclusive women’s rights and is an “International Gender Champion.” Ambassador Razdan Duggal stated, “Advancing gender equity and equality is a critical matter of inclusion, justice, and fairness. As was famously stated at the 1995 UN Fourth World Conference on Women, ‘Women’s rights are human rights.’ Democracy depends fundamentally on the empowerment of women.”
Flowers capture the imagination. With their unique shapes, colors, and scents, each flower has its own language. Express the appreciation that takes center stage during Women’s Day with the symbolism of flowers. Choose flowers that represent strength and beauty, such as the sleek yet graceful tulips or the invincible, strong lilies. Let the flowers do the “talking” for you.
Pictures credits to Keukenhof Castle
