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Tulips with flamed or “broken” markings were the most sought-after during the heyday of Tulipomania, when the red-and-white striped “Semper Augustus” cost 25 silver guilders per bait (0.05 grams), or 2,500 guilders per 5-gram bulb. Other bulbs went away for a price equal to that of a stately canal house. These “Rosen” (red or pink striped on a white background), “Violets” or “Beeflowers” (violet or lilac on white) and “Bizarden” (all occurring colours on a yellow background) were frequently depicted in expensive flower guides and bulb catalogues. They later proved to be not very healthy, but it was not until 1928 that it was discovered that a mosaic virus was the cause of the flamed drawing. However, what we now call Rembrandt Tulips are carefully selected for broken colours, non-sick cultivars based on Darwin Tulips that resemble the earlier flamed tulips in little. At the same time, some of the original, infected varieties like “Columbine”, “Mabel”, “Silver Standard” and “Summer Clean” are also cultivated. However, these are carefully kept away from other tulips to avoid infection and thus weakening.
