Tulipa 'Silver Parrot'

This 'Silver Parrot' Parrot Tulip is part of a group of very original tulips formerly called "Dragonnes", with swollen and frayed petals on the edges. This magnificent variety inherited the pink and white colour and the white-cream edged foliage from 'New Design', and the enormous unusual flowers from "Apricot Parrot". Its robe is soft pink, flamed with white, cream and silver on the outside, with a deeper pink on the inside. The stem is short, sturdy, which makes it an interesting subject, certainly in the garden, but also in pots and containers. Late flowering, in May.

The 'Silver Parrot' Tulip belongs to the Liliaceae family. Of horticultural origin, introduced in 1999, it is currently classified in the group of 'Parrot Tulips', whose main characteristic is to present huge flowers with twisted, swollen, disheveled, irregularly fringed petals. 'Silver Parrot' is also obtained by mutation (sudden appearance of new characteristics that are maintained in subsequent generations). It is of medium size (40cm (16in)) and its flower is impressively large, exceeding 15cm (6in) in width.  From its formation to its blooming, the flower is almost uniformly light green. Its palette of flamed colours, inherited from the 'New Design' tulip, includes pale pink, iridescent white with silver reflections, cream at the base, bright pink in the centre, without any trace of green. The original shape of the parrot tulip adds an additional charm, making this tulip anything but monotonous, especially when its buds slowly open in a vase, almost ceremoniously.  In the sun, the large flowers open almost flat and reveal a black star-shaped heart from which the light yellow pistil emerges. The foliage is ample, vigorous, with a lovely bluish-green colour edged with cream.

Richness of colours, stunning and variegated flowers, usable both in flower beds and to embellish your bouquets, the fame of parrot tulips is well established. In the 18th century, they were called 'monstrous'; this group developed a lot in the 1930s, when it was discovered that irradiating bulbs with X-rays caused this mutation. Already, they are among the most planted varieties. Unparalleled for bringing fantasy to pots or sunny gardens, don't forget to consider the height and flowering period when designing your flower beds, as these parameters vary significantly from one cultivar to another. It is wise to plant a few more bulbs for cutting, as they make beautiful cut flowers that last a long time in a vase.