On Friday, March 7th, the ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Mexico, H.E. Wilfred Mohr, honored the indigenous women of Mexico and H.E. President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo by gifting her a new tulip variety that from that day onwards will carry the name "La Mujer Indígena." The traditional tulip baptism ceremony was held at the National Palace, in the context of International Women's Day and Mexico's Year of Indigenous Women.
Baptizing tulips - a very special tradition
In the Netherlands, naming tulips after honorable people is a very special tradition. This tribute is often seen in sectors such as politics, arts, and sports. This tulip naming was a celebration from the Netherlands to Mexico's recognition of 2025 as the Year of Indigenous Women. Women from indigenous and rural communities play a strong role in agriculture in Mexico.
This tulip, now named "La Mujer Indígena," is both a token of appreciation for the ties with the Mexican people and a tribute to the President, who is the first woman president of Mexico. As Ambassador Mohr stated during his speech, "With this tulip naming, we also celebrate the leadership, determination, and achievements of President Claudia Sheinbaum, a woman who embodies the resilience and courage that have defined generations of women fighting for their rights and their place in history."
Mr. Mark-Jan Terwindt, General Manager of the trade association Royal Anthos, observed that "The tulip is, of course, a symbol of our country, the Netherlands. We consider her the queen of flowers, the announcer of spring, a flower full of tradition. Every tulip has its own long and difficult journey to succeed in the world."
Lastly, the tulip symbolizes the importance of the agricultural sector in the bilateral trade relationship between both countries. When it comes to foreign direct investment between the Netherlands and Mexico, the FDI from the Netherlands to Mexico reached $1.91 billion in the period from January to September 2024. From January 1999 to September 2024, Mexico has received a total of $19.4 billion in FDI from the Netherlands.
The ceremony began with a speech from Ambassador Mohr, followed by remarks from Mr. Mark-Jan Terwindt, General Manager of Royal Anthos, who presented the official tulip name certificate. This was followed by the actual naming ceremony, conducted by Ambassador Mohr with the company of President Sheinbaum and Claudia Olivia Morales Reza, President of CONAPRED. He also gifted President Sheinbaum a traditional Delft Blue tulip vase filled with purple tulips. Afterwards, President Sheinbaum Pardo spoke about the importance of recognizing the indigenous women of Mexico, saying, "This year we decided to dedicate it to the indigenous woman in particular, because it's the essence of Mexico." She concluded by emphasizing how this celebratory year "is not only brought to our country today, but through this tulip it is brought to the entire world."
Information about the tulip
The TU12-K0027 is a dark purple tulip released by one of the Dutch growers' association "Remarkable Tulips". The breeding of this tulip was carried out in the Test Centre for Ornamental Crops (part of Hobaho Hortigroep), by breeder Floris Slob. It is the result of a breeding that took place in 2012 after an rigorous selection and cultivation process. It regards a single-flowered tulip with an intense purple color and a vase life of at least 7 days. The flowers bloom uniformly and are ready to be harvested in 20 greenhouse days. This tulip fits into a sustainable cultivation plan, as it has a strong resistance to diseases and pests.
Source: Agroberichten Buitenland