TULIPS OF TURKEY
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Everybody thinks that tulips come from
Holland. Actually, Tulips are native to Central Asia and Turkey.
In the 16th Century they were brought to Holland from Turkey,
and quickly became widely popular. Today Tulips are cultivated
in Holland in great numbers and in huge fields. Dutch bulbs,
including tulips and daffodils, are exported all around the
world so people thinks that it's originated from there as well.
In fact many cultivated varieties were widely grown in Turkey
long before they were introduced to European gardens.
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| In the 17th century the overgrown interest
and high popularity of Tulips brought a sort of "Tulipmania"
in Holland. Especially in 1637 bulbs were highly praised and
prices gone up day by day reaching extraordinary numbers. Bulbs
were sold by weight, usually while they were still in the ground.
Some examples could cost more than a house at this time. The
Dutch government unsuccessfully tried to outlaw this commerce
but couldn't do anything to stop it, the trade was all about
access and demand. But the end of the game came quick: Over-supply
led to lower prices and dealers went bankrupt and many people
lost their savings because of the trade, and the tulip market
crashed.
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Also in the Turkish history Tulip played an interesting
role. The period in our history between 1718-1730 is called as the
“Tulip Era”, under the reign of sultan Ahmed III. This
period is also expressed as an era of peace and enjoyment. Tulips
became and important style of life within the arts, folklore and
the daily life. Many embroidery and textile clothing handmade by
woman, carpets, tiles, miniatures etc. had tulip designs or shapes,
large tulip gardens around the Golden Horn were frequented by upscale
people, and so on. Also, the first printing house was founded by
Ibrahim Müteferrika in Istanbul. The Tulip Era was brought
to an end after the Patrona Halil revolt in 1730, ending with the
de-thronation of the Sultan.
The botanical name for tulips, Tulipa, is derived from the Turkish
word "tulbend" or "turban", which the flower
resembles. It's considered as the King of Bulbs.
There are early, mid, and late blooming varieties
of tulips. They come in a huge variety of bright colors, including
white, yellow, pink, red, black, purple, orange, bi-colors, and
more. There are a profusion of mixed colors to select from, too.
A special breed from Manisa is called as Anemon.
Tulips should be planted as soon as they are purchased
in the fall. But they can also be forced to bloom indoors during
winter months. After blooming, let the plant continue to grow until
it dies off. During the post bloom period, the plant is sending
energy to the bulb to store for use next spring.
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