In 1948, the International Union for Conservation of Nature was established under UNESCO. In 1966, the Red Book was published for the first time in two volumes. The flora represented in it included 5,700 species.
In addition, in 1981, more than 300 species of plants from our region that require special protection and are threatened with extinction were included in the Red Book.
These include:
Alatau snowdrop — a relatively short plant, reaching 10–30 cm in height. It is used in cooking as a flavouring. It blooms from January to May and is especially valued for its early flowering.
Yellow colchicum — grows in the upper mountain zones and near glaciers. It is highly poisonous. Its habitat is very limited. It grows only in the Aksu Nature Reserve.
Kaufmann’s tulip — grows in the Ugam mountain range.
Other rare plants include the Greig’s tulip, Turkestan juniper, bluish chikhirdak, Kokand salpys, and round-leaved pear.
If we take a closer look at one of the most beautiful tulips, the Greig’s tulip, it should be noted that there are about 150 species of tulips in the world.
