Tulips - Flowers of the Heavenly Mountains from Holland I.

Tulips and the World

 

Have you ever wondered how tulips got their name? In this case, it was a matter of chance and multiple mispronunciations of common words. Nevertheless, the origin of the name is known. 

 

In the days when the charm of tulips impressed Turkey, European diplomats were present at the court of the Turkish sultan. They wrote a dispatch that contained information about a very popular newly discovered flower. The flowers were often described as a beauty similar to the adornment of Turkish women – turbans, which the ladies often wore on their heads. By a mistake, "turban" turned into "tuliban", and that’s why today we know the flower as tulip.

If someone wanted to learn all the types of tulips, it would probably be a long-term task. The popularity across the world has resulted in there being more than 150 types of tulips today. Even more challenging would be the task of remembering all the varieties, of which there are over 3000. 

What are the individual colors good for?

 

It has been shown that people consciously or unconsciously perceive the individual colors of tulips differently. 

• White are used for apologies
• Purple are meant to bring good luck
• Yellow symbolize a strong relationship or joy

 

China

Flowers sent to us by heaven itself - more precisely, the Heavenly Mountains. Tulips traveled a long way before they became a hallmark of the Netherlands. They started their career in Asia, specifically in the valleys of the Tian Shan mountains (translated from Chinese as “heavenly mountains”). They soon became popular, and thus gradually spread to other countries around the world. In the 11th century, they were an important part of the Constantinople markets and five centuries later, Europe also saw their sales. It is even said that the first European city with tulips was Prague!

 

Iran

Perhaps because of the beauty of the flower, which evokes feelings of calm, tulips have also become a symbol of peace. They are a must not only for New Year celebrations in Iran but also on Islamic coins worth 20 rials. For the Islamic State, tulips have been very valuable since the 1979 revolution, when they appeared on the flag of the mentioned country. According to Iranian legend, tulips grow on the graves of soldiers who died fighting for their homeland.

Ottoman Empire (Turkey)

Have you ever heard of the term “Tulip Era”? It refers to the period in the Ottoman Empire from 1718 to 1730, when the court’s enthusiasm for tulips turned into obsession. Both history and the present still record the depiction of the flower in significant places. For example, Turkish Airlines has tulips on most of its fleet’s airplanes.