tulip mania, 1634-1637

Cornelius von Baerle, a respectable tulip grower, is falsely accused of high treason by a bitter rival who wants to keep him from achieving the goal of cultivating the elusive black tulip, but Cornelius is able to pursue his passion from prison when he is befriended by the jailer's beautiful daughter, Rosa.

A history of the tulip, from its origins in central Asia, to its place as the most coveted commodity in Europe; telling the story of the flower and some of the colorful characters whose lives were entwined with it.