Tulips are pretty legendary.
You may know tulips as beautiful decorations of your front yard, but did you know they’re more than just flowers? In fact, there are many colorful tulip facts, from their history to their species.
Read on to learn all about tulips!
- Tulip Origins
The first recorded tulip was in Central Asia, and the flower then made its way to Turkey.
The word “tulip” comes from Persia, where it might have been named after turbans. While there is some speculation this might be a mistranslation, people in Persia would adorn their headwear with tulips.
Despite being fashionable in the east, tulips did not take off in the west until 1593. Then, a botanist in the Netherlands named Carolus Clusius grew his own tulips.
- “Tulip Mania”
Clusius contributed greatly to the propagation of tulips, even bringing about new color variations. As a result, tulips became highly sought after in the Netherlands, even bringing about what is known as the “tulip mania.”
If you’ve heard about “tulip mania” before, chances are what you know is a fictionalized version of what actually happened. In 1841, author George Mackay wrote a book on the mania from which many people once sourced their knowledge.
Yet, many historians believe today that most of his claims are fiction.
They don’t deny, however, that tulips were bought and sold at an incredibly high price.
The true “tulip mania” began in 1634, when people began to recognize the value of the flowers. Many buyers purchased them in hopes of reselling them at a higher value, inflating the price.
The tulip market ultimately crashed in 1637, resulting in an extreme loss of money for some prominent families.
- The Tulip Festival
Do you want to know one of the most modern tulip facts? Today, the Netherlands is still the world’s largest producer of tulips. In fact, the Dutch produce around 12.5 million flowers a year.
They even have an annual tulip festival.
This festival, which people travel from around the world to attend, showcases many different kinds of tulips. Key features of the festival include the famous Keukenhof Gardens, trips to tulip farms, and a tulip parade.
- Tulips Have Many Species
What are tulips? Did you know that there are 150 species of them?
This is why tulips come in so many different variations! They are all classified as lilies. However, they are further characterized by shape, size, how many flowers each bulb produces, and when they bloom.
For example, a cup-like flower that blooms in the middle of the year is known as a single early.
- Tulip Furniture
Tulips have even inspired furniture-makers!
All around the world, tulip-shaped furniture is becoming more popular, thanks to brands popularizing the iconic shape. There’s even a tulip table and chair shop!
Do You Like These Tulip Facts?
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