Peng’s tulip 'Cathey' to bloom in Beijing Botanic Garden  

彭丽媛命名郁金香种球抵京 入植北京植物园

Experts from the Netherlands plant Cathey tulip bulbs in Beijing Botanic Garden on Wednesday, Oct. 22. (Photo: Beijing Youth Daily)

(ECNS) – "Cathey," a new strain of tulip named by Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan, has arrived in Beijing and will open its petals next spring.

On Wednesday morning, the first Cathey tulip bulbs were planted in Beijing Botanic Garden by experts from the Netherlands. The flowers will be cultivated behind closed doors and open to public in the spring when they are in full bloom.

Peng christened the tulip while on a visit with President Xi Jinping to the world famous Keukenhof flower garden near the town of Lisse in the Netherlands in March.

In ancient poems, the word "Cathey" means "China," and its Chinese equivalent, "Guotai," means prosperity of the country and people.

It takes about 15 years to cultivate the delicate flower, with fewer than 10,000 tulips spread around the world.

In December, the garden will host an event during which people could win free tulip bulbs to enter into a planting competition.