Although generally associated with Holland & France, tulips originated in Persia and the Middle-east. The first tulips were brought to Europe from Turkey in the mid-1500s & for many years were grown only in university botanical gardens. In the early seventeenth century, bulbs were stolen from the University of Leiden and thus began "TULIPMANIA." In the late 1800s, when the Dutch industry began to officially classify tulips, a peculiarly attractive but virus-infected variety was categorized as the "Rembrandt" strain. Later a genetically stable hybrid was developed, bearing the same moniker. Today in the US, tulips are usually referred to as either "Dutch tulips," (the standard) or more recently in florist circles as "French tulips," (the premium or 'jumbo.')
