Tulipa Super Parrot - Parrot Tulip

Tulipa Super Parrot is a very sculptural, bright tulip with white petals streaked with green. You can pair it with the Black Parrot Tulip for a stunning contrast or with pink or purple tulips for harmonious combinations. The enormous flowers stand tall on flexible stems that reach 45 cm (18in) high, making them particularly susceptible to bad weather. Perched on the stems above the widely lanceolate leaves, the flowers are all different but all have white and green petals. It blooms in the heart of spring starting from April.

The Super Parrot Tulip belongs to the Lily family. Originally horticultural in origin, it is currently classified in the group of "Parrot Tulips," which are characterized by their enormous flowers with twisted, puffed, irregular, frilly petals.

With their wide range of colours and astonishing variegated flowers, suitable for flower beds and bouquets, Parrot Tulips have become very popular. In the 18th century, they were called "monstrous"; this group flourished in the 1930s when it was discovered that irradiating bulbs with X-rays caused this mutation. They are now among the most widely planted varieties.

Tulips are unmatched for bringing the colours of spring to pots or sunny gardens but don't forget to consider the height and flowering period when designing your flower beds, 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 beautiful 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, including Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, and Central Asia. Their distribution area also includes North Africa and the Indian subcontinent. The centre of diversity for 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. These include large adventive tulips from cultivated fields, the most well-known being the Agen Tulip (Tulipa agenensis), as well as small tulips found in wooded areas or among rocks in the mountains. In cultivation, they are called "wild tulips," and one of the most common is the wild tulip (Tulipa sylvestris), which often used to grow under the protection of grapevines and whose subspecies australis is known as the Southern Tulip.