The Tulip was actually originally a wild flower growing in Central Asia. It was first cultivated by the Turks as early as 1000AD. Mania in Turkey struck in the 16th century, at the time of the Ottoman Empire, when the Sultan demanded cultivation of particular blooms for his pleasure. The name ‘tulip’ came from the Turkish word for turban.
Historians believe the tulip probably originated on land somewhere between Northern China and Southern Europe. The plants were soon cultivated in the Ottoman Empire (present-day Turkey) and then imported into Holland in the sixteenth century.
Tulip probably is native to the Tien-Shan and Pamir Alai Mountain Ranges of central Asia near the modern day city of Islamabad, close to the border of Russia and China. From this region tulips spread to the east, west and northwest and were widely grown in the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire by the year 1000 A.
So, where was a tulip first discovered?
One answer is that tulips were introduced to Europe from Turkey shortly after 1550. An early recipient of these delicate blooms was the French botanist Carolus Clusius, who was an avid bulb grower and is often attributed with the spread of other spring bulbs, such as hyacinths and irises, across Europe.
You may be asking “Where do tulip flowers come from?”
One thought is that the tulip is a real globetrotter and originates from the high plains of Central Asia. After many wanderings, the Tulip arrived in the Netherlands in the 16th century. A flourishing Tulip trade developed in the Netherlands thanks to an ideal growing climate and the business instincts of the Dutch.
Where are the oldest tulips in the world?
The UK National Collection of English Florists’ Tulips and Dutch Historic Tulips, dating from the early 17th century to c.1960, is held by Polly Nicholson at Blackland House, Calne, Wiltshire. It is believed the first tulips in the United States were grown near Spring Pond at the Fay Estate in Lynn and Salem, Massachusetts.
What is the Tulip Era?
The era during which the Ottoman Empire was wealthiest is often called the Tulip era or Lale Devri in Turkish. Tulips became popular garden plants in east and west, but, whereas the tulip in Turkish culture was a symbol of paradise on earth and had almost a divine status, in the Netherlands it represented the briefness of life.
What is the history of tulips in the Netherlands?
A flourishing Tulip trade developed in the Netherlands thanks to an ideal growing climate and the business instincts of the Dutch. The man who played a major part in the Tulip’s history and the arrival of the Tulip in the Netherlands was Carolus Clusius, a Flemish scientist, medical doctor and botanist.
Where do bulbs like tulips come from?
Tulips are a beautiful flower with A LOT of rich and interesting history. But where do these flirty and fun blooms originally come from? The short answer – Turkey and Asia. We’re incredibly lucky that in New Zealand, we have amazing access to a range of tulips from our growers. But did you know that ].