• The genus name “Tulipa” is a Latin derivation of the Persian word “dulband,” which means “turban.” The bloom’s name is thought to refer to the tulip’s overlapping petals resembling a turban or to the fact that Turkish men customarily wore tulips tucked in the folds of their turbans.

• As members of the Liliaceae (lily) family, tulips are relatives of lilies-of-the-valley, Gloriosas, lilies, hyacinths, stars-of-Bethlehem, asparagus and onions.

• Tulips are native to the Middle East, mainly Iran and Turkey, and were introduced into Western Europe in the mid-16th century.

• During the Ottoman Empire (1299-1922), the tulip was seen as a symbol of abundance and indulgence; the wealthiest part of this historical period is often called the “Tulip Era.”

• The demand for tulips set off a speculation frenzy known as “tulipomania” in the Netherlands around 1637; tulip bulbs were more valuable than gold and at its peak, a single tulip bulb of a prized variety sold for as much as $4,000.

• The most prized tulips were the “broken” or striped flower forms. This condition is now known to be the result of a virus infection in the bulbs.

• It is believed the first tulips in the United States were grown in the mid-1800’s at the Fay Estate in Lynn, MA.

• There are reportedly 3,000 varieties of tulips.

• The many cultivars are divided into groups based on flower form including single-rounded, double-rounded, lily-flowered (pointed petals), parrot (fringed petals), etc.

• Tulips require vernalization to bloom — the bulbs need a prolonged period of cold before they will flower. Bulbs can be forced into blooming by storing them in a cold place for 12-16 weeks.

• Vase life for cut tulips is 3-10 days, depending on variety, care and maturity stage at harvest.

• Tulips are both phototropic (they will grow and move toward a light source) and geotropic (they bend away from the earth due to the force of gravity).

• The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology lists tulips as an allergy-safe pollen producing plant — they are hypoallergenic.

• Unlike most flowers, fresh-cut tulips continue to grow in the vase — gaining an inch or more in height.

• Avoid combining tulips with daffodils (or any other members of the narcissus family) in storage containers because narcissi exude gummy sap that shortens the tulip’s lifespan by clogging their water-uptake channels.

• Parts of tulips are edible; during WWII, some people in the Netherlands were forced to eat tulips because there wasn’t any other food.

• Tulips are popular wedding flowers and are the official 11th wedding anniversary flower — it’s said that the tulip’s velvety black center represents a lover’s heart, darkened by the heat of passion.

• There are as many meanings associated with tulips, as well as their different colors. Red tulips are considered to be the symbol of perfect love and are the most popular variety; pink signifies affection and caring; orange expresses desire and passion; cream means “I will love you forever;” purple represents royalty; yellow expresses cheerful thoughts; and white conveys forgiveness and purity.