Our plant of the week today is the Tulip! Tulips are starting to sprout right now and you’ll be able to see their blooms in March/April. Did you know that tulips started out as wild flowers in Central Asia? They were first cultivated in Persia (Iran) and the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) as early as the 10th century.
Currently, the Netherlands is the world’s largest producer, exporting nearly 3 billion bulbs annually. In the 1600s, the Netherlands experienced what’s considered the first recorded economic bubble, known as Tulip Mania. During Tulip Mania, rare tulip bulbs were sometimes worth more than a house. Another fun fact is that over 9 million real tulips were planted in Norfolk, England to create the vibrant, multicolored backdrop for Munchkinland in the 2024 film “Wicked”.
Tulips can be white, yellow, cream, vibrant red, orange, pink, deep maroon, or purple. They can also be multicolored with stripes. Striped, feathered or “broken” color patterns are caused by the Tulip Breaking Virus (TBV), which disrupts pigment production in the petals. In modern times, these are produced without needing the virus.
Let us know if you have any questions!