One can't travel through Holland in the spring without spotting what could quite possibly be the national flower. But why are tulips and Holland so synonymous?
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{AUTHOR’S NOTE: Only two paragraphs did not directly reference Holland. I eliminated one and tweaked another. Otherwise, everything written speaks directly to what was approved in the proposal.}
Thoughts of the Netherlands bring to mind country windmills, clogs and Dutch chocolate. And of course the famous Dutch tulips. One can't travel through Holland in the spring without spotting what could quite possibly be the national flower. But why are tulips and Holland so synonymous?
Although today's best tulip varieties are grown in the Netherlands, tulips did not originate in the country's cool climate. The tulip plant has its true roots in Asia and the Mediterranean. The word 'tulip' is said to derive from 'tuliban', meaning turban. And these upside down turban-like flowers were cultivated in Persia for centuries before the first bulb ever arrived on Europe's shores.
The tulip's entry into Dutch society came in the 16th century when diplomats from Constantinople were said to have brought over the flowering plant. The Dutch botanist, Carolus Clusius of Leyden is credited as one of Holland's earliest growers. His showy tulip display caught the eye of his neighbors and created a tulip craze among the Dutch. Sixteenth and seventeenth century Dutch painters further elevated the flower's status. During this period, Dutch artists were experimenting with still-life paintings, many of which focused on elaborate flower arrangements. The tulip took center stage in their botanical portraits and led to what the Dutch refer to as 'tulipmania'.
By 1636, the unregulated Dutch tulip industry was booming. The demand for the flowers could not keep up with supply and the price of single bulbs soared. Since tulips had become the rage in most of Europe, the Netherlands became the main exporter for the European continent. Especially valued were the bi-colored tulips, known as 'broken' tulips. Tulip bulbs naturally produce only solid color blooms. If aphids infest the bulb, an insect-borne disease causes the flower's color to streak in broken lines against white petals. As the bulb blooms year after year, the streaked patterns change, becoming more erratic. But the disease also weakens the bulb, killing the plant prematurely. In the seventeenth century, the 'broken' variety tulips fetched the highest prices on the market. The variety known as 'Semper Augustus', characterized by a white base with rose streaks, was the most sought-after flower of its time.
In 1636 and 1637, Dutch 'tulipmania' was at its peak. Speculators bid on flowers that had yet to bloom and bulbs that had yet to arrive in Holland, driving prices higher and higher. Finally, the market crashed and the Dutch government imposed regulations on the flower industry. But regulation hasn't dampened the Dutch tulip business.
Dutch enthusiasm for the plant hasn't dimmed either. Most tulips are grown in Leiden and West Friesland where in late April fields of tulips bloom in a variety of riotous colors. According to the tulip exporters, Schipper and Company, one of the best tulip flower shows is the Kukenhof in Lisse. The Dutch Bulb District of Haarlem and Noordwijk sponsor April flower parades. Along a forty-kilometer route, floats studded with Dutch tulips parade past spectators.
Tulips grow so well in Holland because of the agreeable climate. Tulips require cool spring temperatures to bloom at their best. Between September and December, tulip bulbs are planted in the ground at a depth equal to twice the bulbs' height. Dutch cultivators know that tulips like a little elbowroom and bulbs need to be planted three to four inches apart. Tulips adapt well to any soil type as long as it has good drainage. Once the blooming season has finished, the bulbs can stay in the ground year round with only a little fertilizer needed to get them through the Dutch winters.
There are about eight varieties of tulips ranging from the classic solid colors to those with fancy rolled petals. The 'broken' varieties still exist, but the streaks are produced by hybridization and not aphid infestations. The 'Mayday' is a near replica of the infamous 17th century 'Semper Augustus'. There are several special tulip varieties with names as unique as their patterns. The 'Alladin' is a solid colored tulip in deep red with spots of yellow. This flower has a narrower base than the classic tulip, and its petal tips are uniquely pointed. The soft pink 'Angelique' resembles a rose with its center full of petals. 'Blenda' is a smooth, simple tulip with a white bottom and a bright pink top. The showy 'Monte Carlo' looks like a tulip with a perm full of frilly yellow petals.
Much to the delight of any tulip aficionado, many tulip nurseries offer rare tulip bulbs, some of whose origins date back to the heyday of Europe's tulip fascination. The 'Philippe de Comines' of 1891 is a tall tulip with glossy, deep purple petals forming a shallow base. The 'Princess Elizabeth' of 1898 resembles small, pink teacups. The 'Prince of Austria' of 1862 is a funnel-shaped tulip with wide petals. The 'Prince of Austria' tulip is a deep orange-red color and is also quite fragrant - a rarity for tulips. The supply of these rare tulips is quite limited and prices can be as high as 5 bulbs for US$9.00. Of course compared to the sky-high prices during Dutch 'tulipmania', these beauties are quite a steal.
