The beauty of tulips has enchanted mankind for centuries. The striped variety has attracted particular attention for its intricate and unpredictable patterns. It has been known for a long time that these patterned tulips suffer from a viral infection by the tulip breaking virus.
The virus infects the bulb and causes the cultivar to ‘break’ its lock on a single color, resulting in intricate bars, stripes, streaks, featherings or flame-like effects of different colors on the petals.