🌷 10 Fascinating Trivia Facts About Tulips

1. Tulips were once worth more than gold
   In the 1600s during the Dutch "Tulip Mania," a single tulip bulb could cost more than a house!

2. Tulips don’t originally come from the Netherlands
   Despite their deep Dutch connection, tulips originated from Central Asia, especially the Tien Shan mountains and parts of modern-day Turkey.

3. They keep growing after being cut
   A tulip can grow up to 2 inches even after it’s been cut and placed in a vase.

4. They’re edible (with caution)
   Tulip petals were used as onion substitutes during WWII. Some are safe to eat, but only specific varieties and without pesticides.

5. Tulips respond to light
   Tulips will bend and lean toward the sunlight, even when in a vase indoors.

6. There are over 3,000 varieties
   These varieties come from 75 wild species, bred into many shapes, colors, and blooming times.

7. They symbolize perfect love
   Red tulips are often used to say “I love you,” especially in Turkish and Persian traditions.

8. Tulips were once outlawed
   During Tulip Mania, trading tulips on the black market was banned in some places due to the economic bubble.

9. Not all tulips are colorful
   There are black tulips — actually a very deep purple — admired for their rare, dramatic appearance.

10. They’re the national flower of Iran and Turkey
    The tulip is a symbol of paradise in Islamic art and poetry.