Black Parrot Tulips

Tulips are very popular due to large size, vibrant colours and striking beauty.

.

Tulips farming first began in the early tenth century in Turkey. During the reign of Ottoman Empire tulips were grown in large quantities. Prices were very high. The Ottoman Sultan demanded the growing of certain varieties of tulips for his own pleasure as well. During this period, the tulips were called “Tulipan”, which meant “Turban”, the Sultan’s crown at that time.

.

In 17th century Tulip market crashed and prices became regular. But the Dutch kept their strong passion till today. Since then, tulips have always been linked to the Netherlands, with more than 7 million flower bulbs planted every year in Keukenhof Garden in Lisse, Netherlands.

.

During this time Parrot tulips were born out of a mutation. The physical appearance of parrot tulips evolved genetically because of their exposure to the mosaic virus. Either in response to fighting off the virus or simply adapting to its influence, the flowers forever changed their appearance.

At first, tulip growers were worried , trying to make sense of the new colour combinations. Surprisingly, the demand for parrot tulips grew rapidly, so growers shifted their focus toward growing them intentionally.