Tulips

Genus: Tulipa

While tulips are largely associated with Holland, tulips are actually native to Turkey and Central Asia Minor and are in fact, the national flower of Turkey and Iran. The name "tulipa" comes from the Turkish word for turban ("tulpend") which the large showy flower resembles. The tulip was so revered in the Ottoman Empire that imagery of the flower was prominently featured in Turkish arts and crafts including painted glass, tiles, fabrics, embroideries, clothing, miniature paintings, book illuminations, boats, tombstones, and household utensils. The tulip so epitomized the style and cultural life of 18th century Turkey that it is known as The Tulip Age.

Tulips were first introduced to Europe in the 16th century when a Habsburg ambassador sent a sample of bulbs to Vienna and they made their way to Dutch botanist Carolus Clusius at the botanical garden at Leiden. In 1593 Clusius became Professor of Botany at the university and planted tulips in his garden there. Tulips quickly caught on and were soon widely distributed throughout Holland and other parts of Europe.

In the following century (17th century), the enthusiasm for the new flowers triggered a speculative frenzy now known as the "tulipomania." The flower became so fashionable and coveted, that people began speculating in bulbs of new colors and unusual shapes and paying extravagant prices for them. Because of tulipomania, the Netherlands and tulips have become inextricably linked, hence the term 'Dutch tulips.' The tulip continues to be a symbol for Holland. Visitors to Amsterdam and surrounding areas can witness acres of tulips in impeccable tulip farms and celebrate the flower in the annual Tulip Festival in May.

Tulips are in the lily family, Liliaceae. They are bulbous plants and require a cold winter season to grow successfully. Fortunately for gardeners, tulips are relatively inexpensive and easily available. Along with daffodils, tulips are one of the two most popular spring-flowering bulbs on the market. There are around a hundred different species and numerous brilliant colors including vibrant red, purple, pink, yellow, cream, and many others. Some cultivated tulips have a striped or variegated flower, which actually stems from a viral infection of the bulb.

• Special tulips: Waterlily tulips are dwarfs in cream with red stripes. Fusilier are native to Bokhara featuring several pointed flowers to each stem. Red Emperor have huge, magnificently scarlet blooms.
• Single earlies: Keiserskroon stretches to 15 inches, bright red edged with clear yellow. Rising Sun are a fine golden yellow, General De Wet are soft orange with a stippled effect, and Pink Beauty are a brilliant cherry-rose with white stripes.
• Double Earlies: Mr. Van der Hoef is a bright clean yellow. Vuurbaak and Scarlet Carnival are excellent reds. Electra is a deep rosy violet.
• Darwins: This class has tall stems of 24 to 32 inches and blocky cup-shape flowers. Gloria Swanson is an enormous crimson set off by a blue center. Scotch Lassie is a pure, deep lavender. Zwanenburg is a pure white of lasting substance. The Bishop is a richly dark purple, an excellent as contrast for pale pinks or lavenders.
• Cottage Tulips: Rosabella is a delectable pink. Marjorie Bowen is salmon, buff, and rose-pink Golden Harvest is deep lemon-yellow.
• Lily-flowered tulips: Captain Fryatt is reddish violet. White Duchess is an all-white flower. Yankee Girl is a delightful buffy salmon.
• Breeders: Excellent cut flowers to arrange in brass and copper. Bacchus are violet blue with a dusky bloom. Cherbourg is a golden terra cotta.
• Late Doubles: Eros is rosy lavender. Mount Tacoma is a handsome white.
• Parrots: With fringed edges and bold splashes of green on their outer petals, they look like they're made of feathers. Red Champion, Violet Queen, Sunshine, vivid scarlet Therese, and the salmon-pink, Fantasy. All make beautiful cut flowers.