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Extra Features and Video Online FloristsReview.com R E A D O N L I N E 15 the Turks as early as the 10th century. Tulips were officially introduced into the Netherlands at the end of the 16th century. In the Netherlands, there was a sense of exoticism to these imported flowers that looked like no other flower native to the European continent—so it is no surprise that tulips became luxury items. e bulbs' value increased as the popularity of tulips in Holland grew. ey were considered a rarity and commanded enormous prices that only the wealthy could afford. e infamous "Tulipomania" or "Tulip Mania" (Tulpenmanie) was a rush on tulip bulbs from 1634 to 1637 as speculators bought tulip bulbs hoping to resell them at high prices—often 10 times what an average working- class man earned in a year. In 1637, too many speculators sold at once, and the tulip market crashed. Although Tulip Mania ended, the love for tulips in the Netherlands was deeply rooted and grew into a huge commercial enterprise. Today, the Netherlands is the largest producer of tulip bulbs worldwide, exporting about 3 billion bulbs per year. Cut Tulips Tulips are commonly displayed as monobotanical vase arrangements because they are so stunning and elegant on their own. But they are also frequently used in mixed spring arrangements and hand-tied bouquets as well as in landscape, vegetative and botanical design styles. Care for cut tulips by giving them plenty to drink! ey are thirsty blooms. Trim each stem end at a 45-degree angle, and place into a vessel containing bulb-flower nutrient solution, such as FloraLife® Bulb Food Clear 300. To extend the life of cut tulips, recut the stems and change flower-food solution every couple of days. Also, keep them out of direct sunlight and away from sources of heat. Interesting characteristics of cut tulips include that the stems continue to elongate after being cut, up to an inch or more. ey are also geotropic/gravitropic, meaning that they respond to the force of gravity (always growing upward, regardless of the angle of the stems). In addition, tulips are heliotropic/phototropic—stems bend toward the light. Flower designers must consider all of these characteristics when arranging tulips because the blooms can continually change positions! Tulips are also photonastic, meaning that their blooms close at night and when there is little or no light available, and they reopen when the light returns. Irina Gurina

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