Indecision: n. starting to write a blog post about Oil drilling in Ecuador, followed by the Parables of Jesus, and concluding with facts about tulips.
Guess what? It's Tulip ordering season. I'm sure you had no idea that that was even a thing, but it is. It's a big deal. So for no other reason than plants are awesome, and I didn't want to write about anything too serious today:
Fascinating Facts about Tulips
1. There was a Tulip Bubble
 |
| Modern Dutch tulip fields (Photo Credit) |
Although Tulips are actually native to the mountains of Afganistan, they're a pretty big deal in Holland. Such a big deal that speculation on tulip bulbs was so extreme during the 1630's that it almost crippled the Dutch economy. Tulipomania was so bad that single bulbs were selling for more than ten times the annual earning of a skilled laborer.
2. The Rembrandt Virus
 |
| Semper Augustus. Unfortunately, this variety is extinct now. |
The striped tulips immortalized by Dutch painters of the golden age were actually not bred that way. They were colored tulips infected by a the Tulip Breaking Virus similar to the Tobacco Mosaic Virus which caused white streaks to develop on their petals. (Also, the striped Semper Augustus shown above was the most expensive bulb sold during tulipomania)
3. The Tulip Standard
Although European countries often refer to a "Golden Age" where they were at the pinnacle of influence and power, the Ottoman Empire refers to its moment of glory as the "Tulip Era"
4. There are no true blue or black tulips but you can find pretty much any other color
Some get close though. My favorite tulip is Black Parrot
Although I'm also pretty partial to the White Parrot too..
Just in case you're wondering, Parrot is a class of feathery petalled tulips. There are 15 classes.
5. Tulips can't grow in Florida
Tulips need dry, hot summers and significantly long winters to live. So if you live in the South, you're out of luck unless your willing to buy bulbs every year and then store them in your fridge for a couple of months before you plant them.
Have fun in Seattle,
Steph
As always I love what you are thinking. I write a comment every week but always delete it before I post. My words in writing just don't match up to my brilliant daughters'. Someone told me to post anyway so here it is. Does the word brilliant look weird in print to anyone else? And yes I spell checked it.
ReplyDelete