8 Fascinating Tulip Facts That You Are Unaware Of

Most people think that tulips were created in the Netherlands because of how iconic they are over there.
READ MORE: Tulips flower originate and explain feeling with different color flowers

Hey tulip flower enthusiast, how much do you love and know about the stunning flower? Can you imagine a world where a single flower bulb could cost as much as a fancy mansion?!

That’s the incredible story of the tulip, a seemingly ordinary spring bloom with a surprisingly rich and fascinating past. Whether you’re a seasoned tulip admirer or just starting to discover their charm, this blog post will unveil 8 unbelievable facts about these captivating flowers. Buckle up and get ready to be surprised!

1. Tulip - The National Flower

Today, the iconic Tulips are well-recognized as the national flowers of these four countries- Turkey, Netherlands, Hungary, and Afghanistan. Historically, tulips grew on the slopes of mountains in southwestern Turkey.

It became the Persian empire’s golden assets in the 10^th century-mainly Iran, Kazakhstan & Afghanistan. Soon, the Persian Sultan adopted tulips flower to his ‘turban’ as his outfit finishing touch. The word ‘Tulipa’ is form which resembles the flower, alternatively known as the ‘King of Bulbs’.

In the 15^th century, Sultan Suleiman gifted tulip bulbs to the western rulers whereby they traveled to other parts of Europe countries. The Netherlands of the Dutch were so obsessed with the flowers, and today, it became the “flower shop of the world”.

2. Tulip Mania aka Bitcoin Craze

Believe it or not, tulips weren’t always the vibrant rainbow we know today! None of us today would have thought that the Tulips was the Bitcoin of the 17th century. In the 16th and 17th centuries, a single black tulip bulb could fetch a price equal to a luxurious and fancy mansion.

The “Semper Augustus” was a particularly rare broken tulip variety, and a single bulb reportedly sold for 12,000 guilders (equivalent to millions of dollars today). This specific example adds a sense of tangibility to the outrageous prices.

Just imagine: there are people were willing to pay as much as a house just for a single bulb! Mind blowing!

This obsession with the elusive black tulip fueled “Tulip mania,” a fascinating period of economic frenzy in the Netherlands. Believe it or not, during tulip mania, there was a thriving futures market for tulip bulbs!

People would buy contracts for bulbs that weren’t even planted yet, hoping to resell them at a higher price later. This system, similar to modern stock markets, fueled the speculative frenzy.

Tulip mania wasn’t just about economics; it had a significant social impact. People from all walks of life, from wealthy merchants to ordinary laborers, became obsessed with tulips and invested heavily in the market. The eventual crash led to financial ruin for many and a general sense of distrust.

Thankfully, today, tulips come in a dazzling array of colors, from classic red and yellow to stunning bi-colors and even unusual shades like green and black, all readily available for a fraction of the price!

3. Tulip Flower Break Virus

One can find that there are plenty of solid color tulips, while others are with stripes, streaks, bars, or flame-like effects. The term ‘Tulip Breaking’ shows that the tulip petal color transforms into a multicolored stripes. The causes of the different tulip stripe on the petals is a virus spread by a bug called Aphids.

The beautiful and rare Sempur Augustus tulip is resulted from the virus infection, making it one of the priciest tulip varieties in the Tulip Mania era. The beautiful lines and contrasting colors made it impossible to look away!

The legendary “emperor forever” tulip, holds a unique place in tulip history. While its exorbitant price during tulip mania is well-known, here are some lesser-known facts that might surprise you:

A Cursed Beauty: The Semper Augustus’ mesmerizing streaked and variegated patterns were caused by a virus, known today as the Tulip Breaking Virus (TBV). While the virus created the highly sought-after “broken” effect, it also weakened the bulb significantly. This meant not only was the Semper Augustus rare, but it was also difficult to propagate and maintain its beauty.
A Fleeting Masterpiece: Unfortunately, due to the TBV, Semper Augustus bulbs would degenerate with each generation. The intricate patterns and vibrant colors would become weaker and less defined. This meant that obtaining a truly magnificent Semper Augustus was not just about price, but also about timing and luck.
The Identity Mystery: Despite its fame, there’s some debate about the exact appearance of the Semper Augustus. Since no bulbs or documented paintings exist from that era, descriptions rely on written accounts, which can be subjective. This adds an element of mystery to the flower’s allure.
A Symbol of Obsession: The Semper Augustus became an emblem of the extreme speculation during tulip mania. Owning one wasn’t just about the flower itself, but about the social status and wealth it represented. This highlights the cultural and social impact of this period.
A Legacy of Beauty: While the original Semper Augustus may be lost to time, modern science has allowed us to recreate “broken” tulips using techniques that don’t involve the destructive TBV. This allows us to appreciate the beauty that captivated people centuries ago. Today, the virus is still being used to alter the tulip’s DNA but without aphids.

4. Tulip Flower Break Virus

Based on estimation, there are more than 3,000 registered types of tulips. These tulips are then divide into 15 groups based on three key factors: flower type (shape and form), flower size, and blooming period (when the flowers open).

These 15 distinct groups of tulips are all registered with the Royal General Bulb Growers’ Association in Netherlands, ensuring a consistent and widely recognized classification system for tulips. This benefits both growers and consumers.

Knowing the 15 classification groups allows growers to specialize in specific types of tulips suited to their expertise and market demands.

For consumers, this classification system makes choosing tulips easier. By understanding the different groups (e.g., Single Early, Double Late), you can select varieties that suit your desired flower form, size, and blooming time.

15 Stunning Tulip Groups

This classification system is a treasure trove for tulip enthusiasts and there’s a whole world of tulips waiting to be explored!

Single Early: These are the classic tulips, featuring single, cup-shaped blooms that arrive in early spring. Popular for their vibrant colors and reliable blooming.
Double Early: Similar to Single Early, but with full, peony-like blooms that appear in early spring. Offer a more luxurious and textural look.
Triumph: These are robust, mid-season flowering tulips with large, single blooms. Available in a wide variety of colors and patterns, making them a popular choice for gardens and bouquets.
Darwin Hybrid: Known for their tall stems and large, single blooms that arrive in mid-late spring. Often have strong, vibrant colors and a weather-resistant quality.
Single Late: Featuring the classic tulip silhouette, large, goblet-shaped blooms that appear in late spring. Popular for their classic elegance and diverse color options such as red, yellow, and pink.

Lily-flowered: These graceful tulips have elongated, pointed petals that resemble lilies. Bloom in mid-late spring and add a touch of elegance to gardens and arrangements.
Fringed: These unique tulips have petals with fringed or ruffled edges, creating a playful and textured look. Bloom in mid-late spring and add a touch of whimsy to plantings.
Viridiflora: A less common group featuring tulips with blooms that have greenish tinges or unusual color combinations. Offer a fascinating and exotic look for tulip enthusiasts.
Rembrandt: Named after the famous painter, these tulips have streaked, feathered, or speckled patterns on their petals, creating a unique and artistic appearance. Bloom in mid-late spring.
Parrot: These flamboyant tulips have ruffled, twisted petals that resemble a parrot’s feathers. Offer a bold and dramatic look for gardens and arrangements. Bloom in mid-late spring.

Double Late: Similar to Double Early but bloom in late spring. Offer a luxurious presentation with full, peony-like blooms in various colors.
Kaufmanninana: These dwarf tulips have shorter stems and single, cup-shaped blooms that arrive in early spring. Popular for rock gardens and borders.
Fosteriana: Another group of dwarf tulips, known for their large, single blooms in vibrant colors. Often have earlier bloom times, offering a splash of color in late winter or early spring.
Greigii: These distinctive tulips have a checkered or patterned look on their outer petals and often have foliage with markings. Bloom in mid-spring and offer a unique addition to gardens.
Coronet: The petals are laterally compressed, creating a spout or lip at the tip. This gives the flower a resemblance to a crown, hence the name “Coronet.”

Popular Tulip Colour Meanings

One can find the popular springtime tulip flowers exist in every color in the rainbow.

Be it red, pink, purple, yellow, green, orange, or the bi-colored. The only non-existence tulips colors are blue and true black.

In the language of flowers, each tulips shades holds a meaning behind which to be expressed to the sender.

Did you know White On White can personalised bouquet with special requested flower?
CLICK TO KNOW MORE: White On White, your leading florist

6. Tulips – Emergency Food Supply

During WW2, tulip bulbs was a famine food for the Dutch, and used as replacement for onion in cooking.

The skin must be peel, and centers are remove as it is poisonous. The bulbs are stew for as long as cooking potatoes generally.

Meanwhile, tulip petals can be eaten raw or cooked since it is flavorful and often used as garnishes for salad.

**Note: We strongly discourage to use a tulips bouquet sold as a food ingredient as it is not serve for food consumption.

7. Tulips – Medicinal Uses & Cosmetic Benefits

Tulip petals is excellent for relieving the inflammation and burning of bee stings, skin rashes, insect bites, and burns. Quick prep for this includes boiling water and crushes the petals together, then applying it to the affected skin area.

The incredible tulip flowers can treat cough, cold, sinus pain, hay fever, and headache since it has antiseptic and diuretic properties to treat such.

Alternatively, tulip extracts are well-known to be a cosmetic agent in the form of creams, lotions, and essential oils to treat dry sensitive skins.

8. Tulips – New Registered Names

The growing numbers of tulip varieties rake up to 8,000 on the list in 2021. Generally, many people are unaware how the tulip names are being place.

Unlike other flowers, tulips is grown from a bulb. A new tulip variety will take about 20 years for the growers to create enough tulip bulbs before introducing to the public. Growers will bring the new tulip variety to Keukenhof’s Greenhouse Pavilion for a display showing it to the audience.

When a person wants to have a tulip name on their own, a ceremony is arrange to baptize the tulips. New tulip’s name is given and registered along with a copy of a certificate. Among the famous ones are called ‘Strong Gold, Leen Van Mark, and the Viking.

Think about how cool to own a name for your tulip!

9. Cut Tulips Vase-life

The cut tulips are known to dance in the vase. You can arrange it straight upright in the tall vase or place it indoors. On next day, you’d find the playful tulips are drooping all over in the different directions.

These flowers are very responsive to sunlight, and it keep growing after being cut. It proves as a long-lasting cut flower ideally for indoor décor.

With a few wise tips on hand, one can explore how to have fun with the tulip’s erratic manner:

Condition the tulips by cutting the base stem by about 2cm with a sharp knife. This helps the tulip’s water uptake channels to open. Trim off any unnecessary section as desired.

Fill up the vase with ice-cold water about ¼ up and throw in a few cube of ice. Place tulips into the vase with the plastic wrap on for about 30-45 minutes. This procedure prevents the wrapped tulips from the warm heat of the indoors, that trigger the tulips to flower up.

Remove the plastic wrap when 30 minutes are due and refill the vase with new water. Place the bunch of tulips into the vase and top up water right below the tulip leaves.

Tulips are a thirsty type of flower so ensure the water level is optimum daily. If time is not permitting, top up the water as the level lowers. Trim off the base stems as tulips grow and replace new waters in the vase.

Note: Use a toothpick or a safety pin to poke through the base stem. Doing this will prevent the tulip to stop growing and no trimming is required.