The fault is colour break, more prominent in solid colours.
Some friends in USA think it is due to a virus, I have my doubts. If it was due to virus then it should be consistent which is not so. Last year more bulbs in a particular bed had it, let us see how this bed behaves this spring.
What other factor could be responsible for it? make some wild guess.
Arif
1.Broken colours in flowers principally indicate genetic instability. Probably i suspect these were result of crossing different varieties.
2. Humidity sometimes can also takes it toll on flower appearance. Cultivar genes which are stable/stronger can withstand humidity better and exhibit same blooms without variations. Varieties having weaker genes exhibit broken colour or variations.
If its virus then these colour breaks or variations should be appear on a consistent basis which is not the case.
My contention is that these colour breaks occurred due to combined effect of reasons 1 and 2 mentioned above (Genetic instability & humidity/temperature).
Brigd sb the point of virus is valid.This tech is used to get multi colored Tulip hybrids.Its also called color breaking in Tulips.You may check this on Google because i have studied this long time ago.You may get your answer in Tulip color breaking virus.
Brig Sahib my contention for the coloured streaks were.
1.Broken colours in flowers principally indicate genetic instability.
2. Humidity sometimes can also takes it toll on flower appearance. Cultivar genes which are stable/stronger can withstand humidity better and exhibit same blooms without variations. Varieties having weaker genes exhibit broken colour or variations.
If its virus then these colour breaks or variations should be appear on a consistent basis which is not the case.
My contention is that these colour breaks occurred due to combined effect of reasons 1 and 2 mentioned above (Genetic instability & humidity/temperature).
A few days ago i came across an article published in "Gardener World Magazine" in which an expert was asked as to why a flower may change it's colour. His rational was
"When flowers suddenly change colours, there are two probably causes. Perhaps you have tow plants in the same pot? One will dominate first and bloom in one colour, to then be overtaken by the other.
Sometimes one dies off, in which case, it looks as though the plant literally changed colour.
The more likelier explanation is that it has undergone mutation which are random genetic changes within the plant, sometimes triggered by high or low temperatures. Suddenly, part of of the plant will produce a flower of different colour."
Brig Sahib my contention for the coloured streaks were.
1.Broken colours in flowers principally indicate genetic instability.
2. Humidity sometimes can also takes it toll on flower appearance. Cultivar genes which are stable/stronger can withstand humidity better and exhibit same blooms without variations. Varieties having weaker genes exhibit broken colour or variations.
If its virus then these colour breaks or variations should be appear on a consistent basis which is not the case.
My contention is that these colour breaks occurred due to combined effect of reasons 1 and 2 mentioned above (Genetic instability & humidity/temperature).
A few days ago i came across an article published in "Gardener World Magazine" in which an expert was asked as to why a flower may change it's colour. His rational was
"When flowers suddenly change colours, there are two probably causes. Perhaps you have tow plants in the same pot? One will dominate first and bloom in one colour, to then be overtaken by the other.
Sometimes one dies off, in which case, it looks as though the plant literally changed colour.
The more likelier explanation is that it has undergone mutation which are random genetic changes within the plant, sometimes triggered by high or low temperatures. Suddenly, part of of the plant will produce a flower of different colour."
Brig Sahib my contention for the coloured streaks rested on reasons outlined below
1.Broken colours in flowers principally indicate genetic instability.
2. Humidity sometimes can also takes it toll on flower appearance. Cultivar genes which are stable/stronger can withstand humidity better and exhibit same blooms without variations. Varieties having weaker genes exhibit broken colour or variations.
If its virus then these colour breaks or variations should be appear on a consistent basis which is NOT the case.
Thus these colour breaks occurred more likely due to combined effect of reasons 1 and 2 mentioned above (Genetic instability & humidity/temperature).
A few days ago i came across an article published in "Gardener World Magazine" in which an expert was asked as to why a flower may change it's colour. His rational was
"When flowers suddenly change colours, there are two probably causes. Perhaps you have two plants in the same pot? One will dominate first and bloom in one colour, to then be overtaken by the other.
Sometimes one dies off, in which case, it looks as though the plant literally changed colour.
The more likelier explanation is that it has undergone mutation which are random genetic changes within the plant, sometimes triggered by high or low temperatures. Suddenly, part of of the plant will produce a flower of different colour."
