Inverted tulip blooms in Turkey’s east

ELAZIĞ

Inverted tulips that grow in the mountainous regions of Anatolia in the spring have started to blossom on Mount Sakız on the border of the southeastern and eastern provinces of Diyarbakır and Elazığ.

With the arrival of spring, the orange, red and yellows tulips are out in all their glory and have added color to the ever-increasing vivid landscape.

The region, home to many legends and cultures, has a growing number of reversed tulips.

Known as “the weeping bride” by locals because they traditionally represent brides separated from their lovers, the tulips have also been associated with the tears of the Virgin Mary and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in Christianity.

This high-altitude garden was a very popular spot for photographers over the past years while this rare species was in bloom, however, due to the coronavirus measures taken this year, the region hosts a limited number of visitors, mainly only local people.

Those who break off the protected tulips from their branches receive a fine of up to 60,000 Turkish Liras ($8,600) for the crime of “destroying biodiversity” under the Environmental Law.

Hülya Hoşgören from Dicle University said that 21 of this species, which has 37 varieties, is endemic.

Explaining why the plant is known as the “weeping bride,” Hoşgören said: “It is referred to as the ‘weeping bride’ because it looks as if it is crying because the water accumulated on the night slides down its leaves during the day,”

Saying that the plant was used in many areas of medicine, Hoşgören stressed that the images of this plant were identified in the motifs of the works belonging to Mimar Sinan, a chief architect and civil engineer for Ottoman sultans, in history.

The inverted tulips, which were used by many civilizations as a symbol, add great value to nature tourism.

Tulips were brought by Turks from Central Asia to Anatolia during the Turkic migration and have been used in decorative patterns since the 12th century.

The plant also became a main theme in art, poems, stories, handicrafts and miniature crafts and its pattern was imprinted on mosque decorations, carpets, war helmets, robes, skirts and money.

The symbol of Turkey and Istanbul, the tulip was brought to Europe in the second half of the 15th century.

Becoming popular in the Netherlands, the tulip made its way to the Canadian capital Ottawa and came to be known worldwide.