Parrot Tulips - Black, White, Apricot, Pink and Rococo

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Ranked #317 in Home, #11,779 overall

Love them or hate them, Parrot Tulips are Spring's grand finale

The largest of all Tulips, Parrot Tulips have flamboyant flowers with streaks, ruffles and frayed edges. They are among the last in the year to appear, eclipsing subtler Tulips, such as Single Late Tulips, which flower at the same time, but are they just too over the top?

2) Tulip Apricot Parrot
3) Tulip Super Parrot
4) Tulip Rococo

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Top 10 Parrot Tulips

Some of the best Parrot Tulips and where to buy them

Not all Parrot Tulips are bright and brash. Some of the more dignified ones include Tulip 'White Parrot', which has yellow-tinged ruffled white petals and the pure white Tulip 'Snow Parrot'.

1) Tulip Black Parrot

The best of the black parrot tulips

The gothic Tulip 'Black Parrot' has nearly black and very dark maroon petals.

2) Tulip Apricot Parrot

Award-winning two-tone Parrot Tulip

Tough and distinctive, Tulip 'Apricot Parrot' bears single apricot blooms tinged with pink. It is one of the few Parrot Tulips to have been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's prestigious Award of Garden Merit.

3) Tulip Super Parrot

The best nearly white Parrot Tulip

Tulip 'Super Parrot' with its gorgeous green and white ruffled flowers make a great cut flower.

4) Tulip Rococo

The most frilly

Chintzy Tulip 'Rococo' has Victorian looking red and wine-red very frilly petals.

5) Tulip Texas Flame

The loudest

Perhaps the brashest of all Parrot Tulips, 'Texas Flame' has bright orange and red strips.

6) Tulip Blue Parrot

More mauve-black than blue, Tulip 'Blue Parrot' is an unusual slightly metallic looking tulip.

7) Tulip Green Wave

Unique green Parrot Tulip, whose petals fade to pink with a remaining green stripe.

8) Tulip Carnaval de Nice

Award-winning white tulip with red splashes and variegated foliage.

Tulip 'Carnaval de Nice' has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's prestigious Award of Garden Merit.

9) Tulip Estella Rijnveld

Tulip 'Estella Rijnveld' has bright red and white streaked flowers.

10) Tulip Orange Favourite

Orange and Salmon Tulip 'Orange Favourite' looks great with green Tulips.

More Parrot Tulips

There are some 120 Parrot Tulip varieties. Here are some more of the best.

Tulip Erna Lindgreen

Deep red Tulip 'Erna Lindgreen' has petals bruised with black.

Tulip 'Fantasy'

Sugary pink Tulip 'Fantasy' has deep pink petals tinged with green.

Tulip Blumex

One of the newest varieties

Multi-colored Tulip with dark red, orange, blue and pink among its colors. Inside it's bright yellow with blue-black anthers.

Tulip Rai

Striking variety for indoor displays

Tulip Rai comes in shades of purple with bright green highlights. Great for indoor displays.

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Fast facts

Parrot Tulips at a glance

Height Between 40 cms (16 inches) and 60cm (24 inches). The biggest of all Tulips.
Position Sun or shade
Hardy and reliable
Excellent cut flowers
Often scented
Easy to grow
Colors Just about all except pure black and pure blue
Very large flowers open out until they almost flat
Buds are tinged with green which fades as they open
Most Parrot Tulips are bred from mutations of Late Flowering Tulips and Triumph Tulips
Parrot Tulips are so named because their petals look like a parrot's beak

Growing Tulips

Top Tips

Parrot or Ruffled Tulips are among the biggest of all Tulips, and their flower heads are densely packed with petals. Give their tall laden stems a helping hand by planting bulbs en masse, so they can support each other, and also out of high winds. Plant them 7.5cm (2-3 inches) apart.
Although many Parrot Tulips can tolerate semi-shade, not all are fully hardy, so plant them in the warmest part of the garden - usually near the house.
Remember to hide the Tulip's dying leaves - which must be left for six weeks after flowering - by planting them in long meadow grass or among fast-growing spring perennials or annuals.
Cut Parrot Tulip flowers are best placed in a tall vase, so the large flowers don't droop. Remember that Tulips continue to grow once cut, so give them space to do so.