The tulip is a plant of the large genus Tulipa, hardy, bulbous-rooted members of the family Liliaceae found in abundance on the steppes of Central Asia. Cultivated tulips, popular as garden and cut flowers and as potted plants, are chiefly varieties of T. gesneriana. They have deep, cup-shaped blossoms of various rich colours. Tulip seeds are said to have been introduced into Europe in 1554 from Turkey, where they were possibly first cultivated.

Since tulips are large, showy, and usually solitary, flowers, a “tulip’ has come to mean ‘a showy person’. ‘Tulipomania’ is the craze for tulip growing, originating in the Netherlands in the 17th. Century. The Netherlands is still the most important centre of tulip culture. In fact; tulip is the floral emblem of Holland. In the language of flowers, the tulip stands for perfect love. A violet tulip shows modesty. Each shade expresses some emotion of life.

Tulips are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Liliopsida, and order Liliales.