Information on Black Tulip Flowers

Significance

• Black tulips do not exist, although several varieties tout the color in their names. Deeply colored burgundy, maroon and violet flowers are the darkest tulips created. The closest tulips to black are Queen of Night, Burgundy, Black Parrot, Black Hero and Black Diamond, according to the Bulb Project, sponsored by the Netherlands' International Flower Bulb Centre.

History

• Hybridizers in the Netherlands began trying to achieve a black tulip in the 17th century, the Bulb Project reports.

Famous Ties

• In 1850, Alexandre Dumas published a novel called "The Black Tulip." This publication brought attention to the idea of and the search for a truly black tulip.

Expert Insight

• No tulip, or any other flower or plant, can ever be purely black and lacking any color, according to the technical director of the International Flower Bulb Center in the Netherlands.