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A Touch
of Tulipmania |
by
Carol Seminara, HCMG |
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In addition to being one
of Spring’s most beloved
and decorative
harbingers, tulips were
once a form of currency
and the cause of
history’s first
financial panic. |
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Although we think of
them as “Dutch tulips,”
the tulipa is a genus of
about 150 species of
bulbous flowering plants
in the Liliaceae family.
Originally a wild flower
growing in Central Asia,
tulips were cultivated
as early as 1000 AD by
the Turks and remain the
national flower of
Turkey. Indeed the name
tulip comes from the
Persian word “tulbend,”
which mean turban and
both describes the
blooms appearance and
references the Turkish
tradition of wearing
tulips in one’s
headgear. |
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Tulips were introduced
to the Netherlands in
the 16th century by
botanist Charles de
l’Ecluse (a.k.a. Carolus
Clusius), who as
honorary professor of
botany at the University
of Leiden established a
botanical garden
featuring his personal
collection of tulip
bulbs in 1573. The first
Netherlands tulips
bloomed the following
spring. |
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Prized both for their
beauty and potential
medicinal use, tulip
bulbs were considered a
precious rarity. Through
the 1600s prices for
bulbs soared as
botanists worked to
hybridize the flower
into rarer colors and
more decorative blooms.
As these hybrids became
increasingly spectacular
with extravagant frilly
petals and dramatic
flames of color, they
were quickly adopted by
the wealthy as a status
symbol. Tulip bulbs sold
for ridiculously high
prices, sometime for
more than the cost of a
house in Amsterdam. The
period from late 1636 to
early 1637 is classified
“tulipmania,” during
which time a single
tulip bulb sold for the
equivalent of $2,250
plus a horse and
carriage. Today a
similar “Rembrandt”
tulip bulb sells for
less than one dollar. |
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Despite the subsequent
“tulip crash” of 1637,
tulips remain a blooming
business in Holland and
each year about 7
million bulbs are
exported, with the U.S.
being the biggest
importer of Dutch bulbs. |
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Historically tulips were
considered completely
ill-suited to Texas
gardens. In fact, a
recent inquiry re:
naturalized bulbs on
plantanswers.com
informed me “tulips
belong in Holland where
they are produced.” |
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Nonetheless, last
February I attended a
lecture by Danny Fowler
of Texas Tulips, and I
fell in love. In the
language of flowers,
tulips mean perfect love
and Danny’s tulips were
perfect: graceful,
elegant, vibrant and, he
assured, growable in the
Hill Country. In fact,
Texas Tulips is based in
Austin. The bulbs are
imported directly from
Holland but only those
varieties proven best
suited to our climate. |
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Spring-blooming bulbs
need to be planted from
December through
mid-February but always
before the first hard
frost. Look for
well-formed, firm bulbs.
Tulip bulbs require
pre-chilling for 45 to
60 days prior to
planting. If your bulbs
don’t arrive pre-chilled
(Danny’s did) this can
be accomplished in the
vegetable bin of your
refrigerator with a
couple of caveats: keep
the bulbs dry and well
ventilated to avoid mold
or rot by wrapping in
paper towels and storing
in a paper bag, and
avoid exposing the bulbs
to any ripening fruit.
Tulips bulbs are
especially sensitive to
ethylene gas produced by
apples, bananas, etc. |
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Plant tulip bulbs close
together but not
touching, about 3 to 4
inches deep (minimally
at least two times the
height of the bulb) in
partial-shade to
partial-sun in a site
protected from hot
afternoon sun.
Underneath a deciduous
tree is an ideal spot.
Plant bulbs pointy side
up in well-drained soil.
Cover and lightly firm
soil. A couple of inches
of mulch is optional but
recommended if a hard
freeze is predicted.
Bulbs should be watered
thoroughly after
planting and then 2 to 3
times a week. |
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Some factors to consider
when selecting which
tulips to plant include
type of bloom, flower
color and size, when it
blooms and plant height
(usually classified as
dwarf, medium or tall).
Bulbs should be planted
in groups to be most
effective; a single
tulip lacks impact in
your landscape and just
looks lonely. |
Here’s a short list of
recommended types and
varieties of tulips for
Texas gardens gleaned
from an article by Dr.
Bill Welch:
•
Darwin Tulips are
classic, all-purpose
tulips known for their
huge, brilliantly
colored flowers.
Long-stemmed (18-24
inches), these are
considered the best type
for cut flowers and will
come back year after
year. (BTW, do NOT cut
the leaves off after the
blooms are spent. This
prevents the bulb from
properly developing for
next year’s flowering.)
Peak bloom period is
late March to early
April.
•
Cottage Tulips have
large, egg-shaped
flowers on tall stems
and bloom in late spring
(through May). Good for
cutting.
•
Parrot Tulips have
fringed petals with
splashes of green that
look like feathers. Tall
(16-20 inches) and
somewhat weak stemmed,
these can be damaged by
wind and rain.
•
Peony Tulips (also
called Double Tulips)
are medium height (10-12
inches) with large,
double petalled,
long-lasting, fragrant
blooms. Peak bloom time
is late spring.
•
Lily-flowered Tulips
have long, pointed
petals on slender stems
(14-20 inches). |
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My personal treasure
trove (about $60 worth)
of tulip bulbs is
ensconced around the
base of one of my pecan
trees. I worry about the
lack of rain and
vagaries of temperature,
I keep a wary eye out
for marauding squirrels
and, like anyone
smitten, I watch and
wait. |
| |
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Carol Seminara is a
certified Hill Country
Master Gardener. Her
column appears every
other week in the
Kerrville Daily Times.
If you have questions
about gardening, contact
Hill Country Master
Gardeners in the Kerr
AgriLife Extension
Office at 257-6568. Or,
email
kerr@ag.tamu.edu |
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© 2009 Carol Seminara
Photographs by Joe Houde
Studio, Fredericksburg,
Texas except where
otherwise noted |
