Description
About this tulip:
Tulip Light and Dreamy, this lady is very special because of her unique lilac-blue flower and a wonderful dark stem.
Which group does the tulip belong to?
Darwin-hybrid Group: Single flowered cultivars, long stemmed, mid season flowering. Originally the result of hybridization between cultivars of the Darwin Group wit Tulipa fosteriana and the result of hybridization between other cultivars and botanical tulips, which have the same habit and in which the wild plant is not evident.
What is the meaning of the color(s) of the tulip?
Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Purple is associated with royalty. It symbolizes power, nobility, luxury and ambition. It is also associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery and magic. Studies have shown that nearly 75 percent of children choose purple over all other colors. Purple is a very rare color in nature.
The Tulip:
The tulip is one of the most famous flower bulbs in the world, the Netherlands exports a lot of tulip bulbs to other countries every year. The Dutch climate is extremely suitable for tulip cultivation because the sandy soil behind the dunes ensures that the crop can develop optimally. Almost half of the Dutch flower fields are full of tulips. In the largest flower park in Europe, the Keukenhof near Amsterdam, you can see more than 800 different tulips. The spring park will open its doors at the end of March. Each year, the flower park has a special theme that inspired the designs of the gardens and flower shows in the pavilions. Flowers have been part of our lives for centuries. Flowers are used as classic symbols in art, architecture and design.
The origin of the tulip:
The origin of tulips can be found in Asia, in countries such as Iran, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan. Tulips also occur naturally in North Africa and Southern Europe. Tulips need cold nights and cold winters to grow. Eventually, the flower reaches Turkey. This is the country where the tulip gets the name we know: tulipa (in Latin). The name is derived from the local name for a turban, tulipan.
But how did the tulip end up in The Netherlands?
The Turkish sultan Süleyman, who lives in 1550, is a very rich man. He fills his gardens full of flowers, especially tulips. When the Sultan is in a very good mood he gives, by exception, some tulip bulbs as a gift. For instance to the Flemish envoy in Turkey, Ogier Gisleen van Busbeke. Ogier gives a few tulip bulbs to the Fleming Carolus Clusius (Charles de l’Écluse) who manages the herb garden of the Austrian emperor. The tulips occupy a prominent place in the emperor’s garden. Clusius becomes professor at Leiden University in The Netherlands. Of course he takes a number of tulip bulbs with him. Clusius is very careful with his bulbs and refuses to sell them. One night, thieves steal some bulbs from his garden. This is the beginning of the tulip and bulb trade in the Netherlands.
Inspired? Check out the other Tulips on our website.
