Tulipa (tulip) is a member of the Liliaceae (lily) family. Tulips need a dormant period of cold weather, and therefore are very adaptable to our Canadian climate. They native to Eurasia, and the greatest diversity of native species are found in mountainous regions of central Asia. References to tulips are found in old mythology, poetry, and decorative motifs.
The earliest known documentation of tulip cultivation was in Persia, around 1050 CE. Tulips were grown in Istanbul around the middle of the sixteenth century, and bulbs were brought to western Europe. Botanists developed hybrids, and their works were widely published and read. Carolus Clusius, a Dutch botanist, experimented with breeding tulips. He planted several demonstration gardens throughout Europe. Stolen bulbs from one of these gardens may have been the source of the foundation stock for the Dutch Tulip Industry.
It takes several years for a tulip to bloom from seed, and after its initial introduction to Europe, a single bulb could fetch more than a skilled craftsman could earn in ten years. This gave rise to "Tulipomania" or Tulip Mania, a market bubble that reached its peak around 1637, before an inevitable market meltdown. "Tulip mania" has been subsequently referenced by economists and journalists in other historical market failures, and most recently in the dot-com crash and the subprime mortgage crisis in the US. Tulip bulbs are very affordable today, and an easy care addition to any flower bed. Plant bulbs in early fall for spring bloom. Most varieties will withstand our surprise Saskatchewan spring frosts and snowfalls.
Congratulations to the West End Girls (Claryvoyant, DoryXplorey, and Pogie24) for the shared FTF!