Orchid Hunting, the history and now...

[Roberta]

One factor that eventually sank tulip mania was when some of the ones with interesting patterns didn't thrive long term. Turns out that the color break patterns that were so popular were the result of virus... which sapped the vitality of the affected plants. (In modern times, hybridizers have managed to breed variegated tulip flowers that are healthy along with lots of other colors and patterns that would have blown those from the 1600s out of the water, of course)