Dark purple tulips were once only a myth fuelled by a novel written in 1850. In 1891 the most famous black tulip, the La Tulipe Noire, was cultivated, and although its colour was not entirely black, it resembled more of an eggplant purple. In 1944 and later in 1955, ‘Queen of Night’ and ‘Black Beauty’ were introduced. Each darker than their predecessors. But still, there were all undoubtedly shades of dark purple. Today the “Paul Scherer.’ Tulip holds the crown for being the blackest tulip available. However, it still to retains a faint hint of purple and is not truly black.