Tulipa Princess Irene Parrot - Parrot Tulip

Tulipa Princess Irene Parrot is a beautiful tulip with classic lines that amazes with its flamboyant colours. Its flowers are orange, streaked with purple. The combination of colours is daring, but the overall effect is tasteful. The stem is short, sturdy, and very dark brown, contrasting with the beautiful colourful flower, making it an interesting subject in the garden or in pots and planters. Early flowering.

Tulipa 'Princess Irene Parrot' belongs to the Liliaceae family. Of horticultural origin, it is currently classified in the group of 'Parrot Tulips', whose main characteristic is to present huge flowers with twisted, puffy, ruffled, and irregularly fringed petals. 'Princess Irene Parrot' is also obtained by mutation (sudden appearance of new characteristics that are maintained in subsequent generations). It is not very tall (30cm (12in)) and its flower is medium-sized. Its palette of streaked colours, inherited from the highly appreciated species that is the 'Prinses Irene' tulip, includes orange, green, and shades of red and yellow. The original shape of the parrot tulip adds extra charm, making this tulip anything but boring, especially when its buds slowly open in a vase. It flowers in March-April, at the beginning of the tulip season.

Plant the bulbs in autumn, from September to December, at a depth of 15 cm (6in), and 10 cm (4in) apart in ordinary, slightly acidic, neutral, or slightly alkaline, loose, well-worked, and well-draining soil. Never add manure or poorly decomposed compost to the planting soil, as this could cause the bulbs to rot. 'Princess Irene Parrot' tulip will grow well in moist to dry soil. Plant it in a good, sunny or semi-shady location. Once flowering is over, it is advisable to remove the seed heads to avoid exhausting the plant.

With their wealth of colours and stunning and variegated flowers, suitable for both borders and bouquets, the fame of parrot tulips is well established. In the 18th century, they were called 'monstrous'; this group developed greatly in the 1930s when it was discovered that irradiating bulbs with X-rays caused this mutation. They are now among the most planted varieties, unmatched for bringing charm to pots or sunny gardens. Do not forget to consider the height and flowering period when designing your borders, as these can vary significantly from one cultivar to another. It is a good idea to plant a few more bulbs for cutting, as they make superb cut flowers that last a long time in a vase.

Regarding botanical species: tulip species are found in most 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 the steppes of Kazakhstan.

There are various wild species, many of which are endangered. They are either large cultivated tulips found in fields, the most well-known being the Agen tulip (Tulipa agenensis), or small tulips found in wooded areas or among rocks in the mountains. In cultivation, they are called "botanical tulips," and one of the most common is the wild tulip (Tulipa sylvestris), which often used to grow in the shelter of vines and whose subspecies australis is known as the southern tulip.