Flower Feature: Tulips

 

 

Popular in home gardens worldwide, the tulip is an essential asset to many floral design recipes. Known for its wide range of colors, bright bulbs and symbolic value, the tulip flower is a fan favorite.  In fact, tulips are the 3^rd most popular flower in the world.

There are over 75 species of tulips, such as the Dutch tulip and parrot tulip.  Tulips are available in a variety of shapes, dimensions and colors, making them extremely versatile.

 

 

Tulips were first recorded growing in the Ottoman Empire. The word tulip comes from the Turkish word for turban, due to its tall, round shape. Today, many recognize the tulip as the emblem of Holland. When roaming the streets of the Netherlands, beloved tulips play a significant role in the nation’s cultural traditions and are loved by locals and tourists alike. Tulips were first brought to the Netherlands in the sixteenth century. Flemish botanist Carolus Clusius wrote a book about tulips in 1592 and they suddenly became so popular that his garden was raided and bulbs were stolen regularly! As the years went by, the Dutch became so fanatically obsessed with tulips that bulbs became immensely expensive.  Tulipmania, the name now given for this curious enthusiasm for tulips, peaked in 1637 and is considered the first example of an “economic bubble.”  Buying one tulip bulb at that time would have cost you 10 times the average national income.

 

 

Blossoming in vibrant shades of every color of the rainbow excluding blue, tulips are often thought to symbolize different things based on their color.  Purple correlates with royalty and elegance, red with love, white with forgiveness, and yellow with cheerfulness and joy.

Tulips bloom in the spring and early summer and produce wonderful wedding work. The bulbs bloom in a classic cup shape, with layers of petals curling out from all angles.  Tulips’ dark centers create beautiful contrast with their light outer petals.

 

 

Being single bloom stalks, tulips look best when grouped as a bunch. Tulips look great paired with greenery, smaller species like baby’s breath and wax flowers, and with other colored tulips. Tulips are great for any time of year, but tend to shine at garden-style weddings in the warmer months.

 

 

Charming, classic, and versatile, it’s easy to see why tulips never go out of style.