Have you ever wondered where tulips come from? These beautiful flowers They are not from Europe. although it is so popular in the Netherlands. Without a doubt, they are very decorative plants, which for this reason have become very famous all over the world.
To know a little more about these beautiful bulbous plants, we will explain in this article where did tulips come from and how were they introduced to Europe. If you love these flowers and want to learn a little more about their history, I recommend that you keep reading.
Where do tulips come from: Origin
When we talk about tulips, we mean beautiful flowering plants belonging to the genus tulipwhich in turn is part of the family Liliaceae. This genus is made up of at least 125 different varieties, but very few of them are used for commercial purposes. Contrary to what most people might think because of the flower market in Amsterdam, where tulips are the protagonists, These flowers are not native to the Netherlands, but to Central Asia.
Specifically, the origin of these plants is in the mountains of Mongolia. This is where they were first discovered. Its extension was made at the same rate as that of the empire of Genghis Khan, until they reach the Turkish mountains which are in Anatolia. Legend has it that in the middle of the 16th century, during his trip to Istanbul, the Austrian Ogier Ghislain de Busbecq saw a Turk wearing a beautiful flower in his turban, a flower hitherto unknown in Europe. Immediately, the European asks his translators to find out more about this exotic plant. However, they thought he was referring to the turban, so they told him his name is “thousand pen“. And that’s how I know”thousand penthe word “tulip” appeared.
It should be noted that the cultivation of tulips intervened and, therefore, significantly improved after their introduction to Europe. It happened especially in the Netherlands which continues to this day to be both the producer and the main exporter of these flowers throughout the world.
How did tulips come to Europe?
It was at the end of the 16th century that tulips were introduced to Europe. Once there, they will soon become very important collector’s items, especially in the Netherlands. At this moment, The Dutch economy was doing very well. thanks to the success of the Dutch East India Company. It was the first company to make its accounts public and, moreover, the first multinational. It should be noted that at that time, it had the monopoly of Dutch trade on the Asian continent.
As already mentioned, tulips were discovered in Turkey, where they were considered sacred flowers. The Dutch discovered that they had land with ideal characteristics to grow these new exotic flowers, They also had a very rapid growth. Another curious fact that increased both its level of exoticism and its price was its affectation by a virus inoculated by a type of aphid. Thanks to him, tulips of different colors were obtained.
Once these exotic plants found success in Holland in the 17th century, a speculative madness broke out in the country. It was so strong that the Dutch even went so far as to buy virtual light bulbs. This phenomenon that took place with tulips and the country’s economy, giving rise to a new business niche, is known as tulip mania.
Tulipomania: The tulip business
What exactly happened economically to tulips in the Netherlands? In the year 1623, the price of a single bulb could reach one thousand florins. This was outrageous, considering that the average annual income was around 150 guilders. During the following years corresponding to the 1630s, the Dutch believed that the value of these exotic flowers would never drop, therefore they have invested huge sums of money in these factories. Of course, the profits at one point exceeded 450% from the initial investment.
Some people have even gone so far as to sell high-value artworks, farms, and mansions to acquire just one light bulb. Tulip prices were skyrocketing day by day and a significant part of Dutch high society succumbed to this temporary investment. Therefore, the market for these flowers was growing and growing until creating a very worrying economic bubble, the first in history (at least that we are aware of).
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Tulipomania, the tulip business
In 1636, nurseries were left without workers due to the outbreak of bubonic plague in the Netherlands. As a result, market prices have increased. Again and so, tulip buyers continued to mortgage to be able to get more of these precious and priceless flowers. Those who lost the most are those who did not see the end of the bubble coming. Some people have gone into debt beyond their ability to ride the bandwagon.
At the beginning of the year 1637, the most skilful investors became aware of the bubble and its imminent bursting. So they decided to sell their tulips to get out of this speculative business, causing a domino effect: Some investors copied his move and so on until panic broke out in the country. Those who did not react in time found themselves with tulips which they had initially bought at the price of gold and which they could no longer resell at the same price, not even close.
This way, the tulip mania bubble came to an end. This business ruined many Dutch people and only a few managed to get rich, they were the ones who sold in time. Although the tulip bubble did a lot of damage, These flowers are still today one of the most representative symbols of the Netherlands.
Now you know where tulips come from and what their history is. Who would have thought that such pretty flowers would cause so much trouble? Fortunately, now they are more affordable and we can enjoy them at home.