Tulipa Parrot Prince

Tulipa 'Parrot Prince' is a beautiful parrot-flowered tulip that bears dazzling pinkish-purple flowers with frilled and twisted petals. Their shiny texture reflects light beautifully. The flowers sit perched on sturdy stems. Its late flowering in an intense colour perfectly complements that of perennials. It is also an excellent cut flower, which will look sublime in a Baroque-inspired bouquet.

Tulipa 'Parrot Prince' belongs to the Liliaceae family. Of horticultural origin, it is currently classified as a 'Parrot Tulip', whose main characteristic is to present huge flowers with twisted, puffed, ruffled, irregularly fringed petals. 'Parrot Prince' was obtained through mutation (sudden appearance of new characteristics that are maintained in subsequent generations). It is quite tall (50cm (20in)) and its flower is of a beautiful size. It stands out with its ability to reflect light, bringing to life the purple-pink colour of its petals under a unique glaze. The unique shape of the flower adds an additional charm, making this tulip anything but monotonous, especially when its buds slowly open in a vase. Flowering takes place in May and celebrates the end of the tulip season in grand style.

Parrot Group tulips are renowned for their rich colours, stunning and variegated flowers, and suitability in flower beds and bouquets. In the 18th century, they were considered monstrous. This group developed a lot in the 1930s, when it was discovered that irradiating bulbs with X-rays caused this mutation. They are unmatched for bringing the colours of spring to pots or sunny gardens. This tulip beautifully decorates balconies and patios. When designing your flower beds, you must consider the height and flowering period of the tulips, as these parameters can vary significantly from one cultivar to another. It is wise to plant extra bulbs for bouquets, as they make superb cut flowers that last a long time in a vase.

Tulip species are found in most parts of the Old World, from Western Europe to China and Japan, passing through Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, and Central Asia. Their distribution area also includes North Africa and the Indian subcontinent. The centre of diversity of the genus is located in the Pamir and Hindu Kush mountains and in the steppes of Kazakhstan.