Tulip Day – May 13, 2024

History of Tulip Day

The origins of Tulip Day are largely unknown. However, the tulip flower itself has a rich and colorful history. It all began in Central Asia, where the tulip flower grew wild. However, it wasn’t intentionally cultivated until around 1000 A.D. in Turkey, where it was grown for medicinal purposes. It grew in popularity in the Ottoman Empire during the 16th century, such that it became a favorite of the Sultan, who demanded its cultivation for his enjoyment. In the 18th century, the ‘Tulip Era’ or the ‘Age of the Tulips’ began, with the flower’s fame rising to dizzying heights. It even became a crime punishable by exile to buy or sell tulips outside the empire’s capital.

The tulip made its debut in Europe when a biologist called Carolus Clusius began planting it in Holland, Netherlands, during the 16th century. The University of Leiden hired Clusius to perform research on medicinal plants. Clusius’ Turkish friend, who was the ambassador of Constantinople (Istanbul), sent tulips to him for the project. This was the genesis of the tulip bulb fields in the Netherlands, which are still in existence today.

In the 17th century, the tulip moved from being merely medicinal and became a garden flower for beautification, causing prices to soar. This eventually led to ‘Tulipomania’ or ‘Tulip Mania,’ a period when tulips became so sought-after that they became a currency of sorts. The love of tulips became so frenzied that people would exchange their property for a single tulip. The Dutch government even had to place restrictions on tulip trading. Eventually, the tulip market crashed in 1637, leaving those with heavy investments in the flower at the losing end. Today, tulips are still associated with the Netherlands, the world’s largest producer of tulip bulbs.