Everybody
thinks that tulips come from Holland. Actually, Tulips are native to Central
Asia and Turkey. In the 16th Century they were
brought to Holland from Turkey, and quickly became widely
popular. Today Tulips are cultivated in Holland in great numbers and in huge
fields. Dutch bulbs, including tulips and daffodils, are exported all around the
world so people thinks that it's originated from there as well. In fact many
cultivated varieties were widely grown in Turkey long
before they were introduced to European gardens. In the 17th century the overgrown interest and high popularity of Tulips brought a sort of "Tulipmania" in Holland. Especially in 1637 bulbs were highly praised and prices gone up day by day reaching extraordinary numbers. Bulbs were sold by weight, usually while they were still in the ground. Some examples could cost more than a house at this time. The Dutch government unsuccessfully tried to outlaw this commerce but couldn't do anything to stop it, the trade was all about access and demand. But the end of the game came quick: Over-supply led to lower prices and dealers went bankrupt and many people lost their savings because of the trade, and the tulip market crashed.
Also
in the Turkish history Tulip played an interesting role. The period in our
history between 1718-1730 is called as the "Tulip Era", under the reign of
sultan Ahmed III. This period is also expressed
as an era of peace and enjoyment. Tulips became and important style of life
within the arts, folklore and
the daily life. Many embroidery and textile clothing handmade by
woman, carpets, tiles,
miniatures etc. had tulip designs or shapes, large tulip gardens around the
Golden Horn were frequented by upscale people,
and so on. Also, the first printing house was founded by Ibrahim Müteferrika in
Istanbul. The Tulip Era was brought to an end after
the Patrona Halil revolt in 1730, ending with the de-thronation of the
Sultan. The botanical name for tulips, Tulipa, is derived from the Turkish word "tulbend" or "turban", which the flower resembles. It's considered as the King of Bulbs.
There are early, mid, and late blooming varieties of tulips. They come in a huge variety of bright colors, including white, yellow, pink, red, black, purple, orange, bi-colors, and more. There are a profusion of mixed colors to select from, too. A special breed from Manisa is called as Anemon.
Tulips should be planted as soon as they are purchased in the fall. But they can also be forced to bloom indoors during winter months. After blooming, let the plant continue to grow until it dies off. During the post bloom period, the plant is sending energy to the bulb to store for use next spring.