Plain of Overturned Tulips is located close to city of Chelgerd, the center of the district, as well as Banuastaki Village of Koohrang County, northwest of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari. Plain of Overturned Tulips is a land spreading over an area more than three thousand and six hundred kilometers in the Koohrang County located two thousand and five hundred kilometers above the sea level, in the foothill of Mili Mountain. Plain of Overturned Tulips is the first and primary birthplace and the habitat of this unique flower. Today it is registered as one of twenty natural heritages of Iran that is now confirmed as a conservation area.
Koohrang is one of the largest migratory areas of Iran. It is the camping ground of Haft Lang nomadic tribe, as well as the source of water of three major rivers of Zayanderud, Karun, and Dez, all of which originate from Zardkuh of Bakhtiari districts.
Overturning Tulip is locally named Gol-e Begeryu, literally meaning the Crying Flower. From the Lily family, this kind of tulip is unique and rare in the entire world. There are some negotiations to include it in the universal list of UNESCO. This special Iranian flower blooms from the end of Farvardin and beginning of Ordibehesht (around April and May), which continues to live until the rainy season. Until today, fifteen species of Overturned Tulip have been discovered in Iran that have medical uses, too.
Laleh Zagrosi or Zagros Tulip is the name attributed to the bright yellow kind of this flower. Overturned Tulips have a very deep connection with the history of Iran. For example, these flowers can be seen in the Sassanid capitals of the columns, as well as Taq-e Bostan. This flower is also linked to the legend of Siavash, a hero of Shahnameh, and his tragic death. This sad flower and a symbol of Siavash’s death is called Ashk-e Sivash or Tear of Siavash.
The vegetation of Plain of Overturned Tulips in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari include Astragalus, Daphne, Ferula and Tulip. Animals such as partridge, Caspian Snowcock, wild goat, goat, brown bear, alpine chough and red-billed chough are some of the species that inhabit there. After a number of tourists took away some bulbs of these rare flowers, the plain became gravely damaged. Today great attention is given to informing people of the importance of these plants as well as the importance of their preservation.
