The tulip has never meant just one thing.

At first glance, it is simply a striking flower — upright, vivid, unmistakable. Yet in art, its meaning has shifted over time and across places. As it moved through courts, gardens, and studios, artists reframed it again and again.

In different contexts, the tulip becomes ornament, specimen, possession, or atmosphere.

There are over 150 different species in the Tulipa genus, with over 3,000 different varieties registered to date, and more to come as plant breeders continue creating new hybrids. That’s a lot to sort through! As such, to aid nurseries and gardeners in breeding, planting, and garden design., tulips are classified into 15 different groups based on common characteristics they share, such as shape, heritage, and flowering time.