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Tulipa gesneriana |
The garden tulip which probably has its origins in Asia and has been naturalized in north west Europe where in Holland during the years 1634-37 (tulip mania) bulbs were exchanged for wheat and livestock and traded on stock exchanges. There are 109 species of the genus Tulipa mst of this diversity is to be found on the mountains of Hindu Kush and Pamir and on the steppes of Kazakhstan. In gardens many hybrid cultivars are found as potted plants or grown for cut flowers. The name has its origins in the Persian language but came into English by way of the French tulipe.
Tulips are indigenous to mountainous areas with temperate climates and need a period of cool dormancy. They do best in climates with long cool springs and early summers, but are often grown as spring blooming annual plantings in warmer areas of the world. The bulbs are typically planted in late summer and fall, normally from 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 in.) deep, depending on the type planted, in well-drained soils.
