Parrot tulips are a category known for their ruffled, textured petals. Many varieties are bi-colored or multi-colored, making this category highly ornamental both in the garden and as cut flowers for floral bouquets and arrangements. Parrot tulips grow in the 12″-20″ tall height range and generally bloom in mid-late spring.
Parrot tulip basics
Parrot tulips are certain tulip cultivars placed into the Parrot Group (KAVB Tulip Division 10). Parrot tulip flowers are characterized by their wavy textured petals. Many varieties also show multiple colors on their petals. The parrot tulip is the result of natural mutations to single late tulips and triumph tulips (see all the different types of tulips).
The flowers of a parrot tulip are somewhat cup-shaped, opening wide as they mature in the sun. The petals are serrated and have a feathered appearance. Some petals are quite twisted and ruffled, and many varieties have streaks or stripes. Parrot tulips grow in many different shades and bright colors, including purple, red, orange, pink, white, and orange.
Growing parrot tulips
These tulips can be planted in Hardiness Zones 3-10 (although they’ll need to be dug up and stored for winter chilling in the warmest climates). The bulbs are planted about 6″ deep and can be spaced as close as 4″-6″ apart in flower beds.
These tulips grow best when planted in full-sun locations (at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day). They also tend to thrive in well-drained soil and in locations sheltered from high winds. Most varieties grow to be 12″-20″ (30-50 cm) tall in the garden.
Parrot tulips bloom in mid-late spring. If picking the tulip blooms to use as cut flowers, be sure to harvest them when the blooms are only a day old. At this point, the petals are just beginning to open, and the vase life will therefore be longer.
These beautiful plants can be fertilized with a balanced flower food in the early spring. Parrot tulips can also be fertilized right after blooming for increased nutrition during early summer photosynthesis.
Parrot tulip varieties
There are quite a few stunning parrot varieties to choose from. Here are some of the best cultivars, sorted by petal color.
Multi-colored parrot tulips
Parrot tulips with multiple colors on their petals tend to be among the most popular varieties. These cultivars are an absolute stand-out among some of the more common tulip varieties. Here are some gorgeous multi-colored options for your flower bed:
- Rainbow Parrot tulip (pink, yellow, orange, green)
- Irene Parrot tulip (pink, purple, peach, yellow)
- Apricot Parrot tulip (yellow, orange, green, red)
- Parrot King Parrot tulip (peach, orange, green)
Purple parrot tulips
Here are some purple/black varieties to plant in your flower bed:
- Negrita Parrot tulip (rich purple)
- Black Parrot tulip (dark purple and green)
- Parrot Prince tulip (purple-pink)
- Blue Parrot tulip (cool purple-blue)
- Rasta Parrot tulip (purple-yellow)
Pink parrot tulip
Here are a few lovely pink-hued parrot cultivars:
- Silver Parrot tulip (soft iridescent pink)
- Parrot Pink Vision tulip (fringed cheery pink)
- Weber’s Parrot tulip (pink and white)
Red parrot tulip
Here are some red varieties:
- Rococo Parrot tulip (rich deep red)
- Estella Rijnveld tulip (red and white)
- Dee Jay Parrot tulips (red and cream)
Orange parrot tulips
Here are a few orange cultivars:
- Flower Power Parrot tulip (rich orange)
- Avignon Parrot tulip (salmon-pink orange)
- Caribbean Parrot tulip (yellow-orange)
Yellow parrot tulips
Here are some yellow parrot tulips to try:
- Jan van Nes Parrot tulip (yellow and green)
- Texas Flame Parrot tulip (yellow and red)
- Golden Lizard Parrot tulip (yellow and purple)
- Flaming Parrot tulip (yellow and red)
White parrot tulips
White parrot tulips are somewhat rare, as most parrots are celebrated for their vibrant colors. Here are a few white varieties to choose from for your spring garden this growing season:
- White Parrot tulip
- Super Parrot tulip
- White Lizard Parrot tulip
