The Dutch Natural Magnesium tulip

Nedmag has been getting you closer to perfection since 1981. While we are a traditional company with a long history, we also embrace the future. Our ability to respond to trends and make changes enables the use of our quality products in innovative, sustainable applications. In honour of Nedmag’s 40th anniversary, we are now linked with a modern white tulip. The ‘Dutch Natural Magnesium’ tulip symbolises Nedmag very well: pure and unique, world-renowned and typically Dutch.

How a new tulip breed is created

Crossing tulip breeds

Breeding is the making of new tulip cultivars. This is done by crossing two different tulips with each other. The pollen of one tulip (father) is smeared on the pistil of the other tulip (mother) and fertilization takes place. The pistil gradually changes into a huge seed pod containing hundreds of seeds. All of these seeds are potential new tulips.

Strengthening the tulip for 7 years

Breeders take freshly formed seeds, and this is where the long, patient adventure truly begins. In their first year of growth, no flower will appear from the seed. Instead, the plant produces only leaves - capturing the sun's energy and using it to grow and strengthen the bulb below. This process repeats for not one, not two, but for seven years for the typical Tulip. Seven years during which a breeder does not yet know what the final flower even looks like. And once a new flower emerges, healthy and robust, the work continues!

Harvesting bulb offshoots

The problem sounds relatively simple - we have one flower we like, so now we need more. Seeds are not a viable option, as the genetic mixing that goes into them means that the flowers could easily differ from the original. Instead the industry focuses on bulb offshoots.  

Maturing bulb offshoots

As the bulb offshoot is genetically identical, the same flower and appearance is more or less guaranteed.  The growers set to work on the viable flower, with all effort focused on generating and planting new bulb offshoots. It may take fifteen years, but the power of multiplication can turn the single flower into thousands. Eventually, with thousands of flower bulbs available, the breed will be ready for sale. 

Registration of the new breed: Dutch Natural Magnesium

Various tests must be completed successfully before a tulip is named and this particular tulip is the result of almost 20 years of intensive cultivation. The long, complicated process requires dedication and persistence. In a way, it is quite similar to many of the innovation processes in which Nedmag is involved.