Tulip-o-mania, or tulpenmanie in Dutch, both made and lost fortunes in the seventeenth century. Tulips are still one of the most popular spring flowering bulbs. In Holland, obviously, but also in Britain and North America.
There can be some overlap in flowering time between later flowering daffodils and earlier flowering tulips. But by the time we reach early May, the tulip has most definitely taken centre stage.
No wonder the invasion of exotic tulips created a fever of botanical mayhem. There had been nothing like tulips before they arrived.
Tulip-o-mania
Originally a native of Turkey, tulips were feted and fought over for a time in seventeenth century Holland. The late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries saw a wave of new plants introduced from Turkish Empire, including tulips, but also hyacinths, lilies and cyclamen.
The tulip had become popular by the turn of the turn of the seventeenth century. John Tradescant the Elder, gardener to the Duke of Buckingham and Earl of Salisbury, brought back tulips from one of his plant collecting expeditions in 1611 specifically for the Earl to grow at Hatfield House.
Tulip-o-mania, or tulpenmanie in Dutch, both made and lost fortunes. At its height of popularity in the mid 1630s, the tulip bulb had become the fourth largest export of the Netherlands after gin, herring and cheese. At one point, the price of a single bulb cost fifteen years’ worth of an Amsterdam bricklayer’s wages.
Tulip Semper Augustus – purportedly the most expensive tulip in the seventeenth century Netherlands.
Why the tulip in particular caused such frenzy has not yet been agreed upon. Possibly the flower’s ability to offer a wide range of flower colours within a single cultivar is one reason. Add in the growing economic power of urban merchants in a newly independent country with a need to show this off and reasons begin to suggest themselves.
Interestingly, despite its becoming a rich man’s flower-to-have, the tulip does not get a mention from Shakespeare.
Even after the end of the manic period of tulip popularity in Western Europe, tulips remained fashionable. Indeed, many bulbs were still very expensive, remaining out of the reach of the ‘ordinary’ person until the nineteenth century.
Tulip virus and colourful petals
The virus that causes tulips to ‘break’ that is, causes the colour variation, was not known in the seventeenth century. However, the early tulip imports and their offspring were much prized for this trait. Once a tulip bulb has been infected, the offsets retain the colour variation of the parent and these tulips often commanded the highest prices.
This tulip virus was caused by an aphid, the peach potato aphid (Myzus persicae) being one of the most effective. This aphid thrives in warm conditions among fruit trees and was prevalent in the peach orchards of the Turkish Empire. In Europe too, fruit trees were a popular feature of the formal gardens into which the tulips were imported, so it is no surprise that the virus remained to ‘break’ the tulips into new forms and colours.
However, modern Tulips with colour breaks are not a result of virus infection.
Tulip Virus Problems
These are caused by –
- Aphids
- Nematodes in the soil
- A fungal root pathogen
- Insects and mites
- Gardeners and visitors via pruning tools and hands
Symptoms
These will vary depending on the virus causing it. But look out for –
- Breaks in the flowers when there shouldn’t be
- Brown, dead streaks in the leaves and stems
- Mottled leaves when there shouldn’t be
- Sunken brown spots or rings in the bulbs
- Stunted or distorted plants
Infected plants, including bulbs, should be destroyed.
Prevention
- Chemical options are not available
- Only buy bulbs from reputable firms
- Discard any bulbs that are suspect
- Good garden hygiene will help
- Avoid planting new tulips in the same part of the border where there have been diseased ones.
Tulip fire
Not a virus but a fungal disease, Botrytis tulipae, but some of the symptoms are similar. For example, distorted leaves, brown spots on leaves. The easiest difference to look for, especially if the weather is damp, is the presence of grey mould.
Prevention as above.
Plus, do not replant the area with tulips for up to three years. If it was the bulb which was affected by grey bulb rot, then no replanting for five years.
Some gardeners plant their tulip bulbs late November – December as a way of reducing the likelihood of tulip fire. Lower soil temperatures mean the fungus is less likely to be active.
Turkish Tulip-o-mania?
The Ottoman Empire continued the craze for tulips, with the early eighteenth century Lale devri being particularly notable. These Turkish tulips had dagger shaped petals, more like the native species and lily flowered tulips we know today.
Ottoman art flowered during this period (pun intended!) and tulips appeared in illustrations and poetry.
The tulip is still considered the epitome of beauty in Turkey, and it certainly adds an elegant touch or a fun side to our spring gardens.
And finally
I hope you are able to enjoy tulips in your own garden or to visit one of the Tulip fests 😊And if Plews can help you with anything, please do get in touch. For example –
Why not get your local garden club, allotment, WI, U3A or other group to ask me along to give a talk
Our Garden Consultancy & Advice Visits may help with some of your issues. Or does your planting need a rethink?
Do you have a birthday coming up? Plews bespoke Gardening Lessons, where your classroom is actually your own garden make a wonderful and practical gift. Have a read through this pdf download for info.
For further gardening advice and inspiration, check out Plews Potting Shed blogs, including the selection below. And you could come and find us on Instagram Pinterest Facebook YouTube
Feeling nosey? You can have a peek at the progress of my garden renovation, Spitfires and Slow Worms, on Instagram and Facebook
You’ll get to see it in person if you come to the Plews Gardening Workshops Current ones on Eventbrite for you to book into. Follow for updates on topics and dates on Plews website, Instagram, Eventbrite, Facebook
Related Gardening articles you may enjoy from our Award Winning Blog
Tulips and Bulbs
Types of Tulips (includes tips for exhibiting at local flower shows)
Vodka drinking tulips and heroic snowdrops (an older blog, but entertaining quick read)
How to Enjoy Spring Flowering Bulbs
Bulbs, Corms, Tubers, Rhizomes – What is the Difference?
More Spring Flowers
Growing Fritillaria in Your Garden
Pulmonaria – an Underused Garden Gem
