Parrot Tulips Grow Guide: How to Grow Parrot Tulips

Parrot tulips are a variety of tulips that bloom cup-shaped large flowers with ruffled petals. Parrot tulip petals feature variegated splashes of color that resemble the striped and flame-like color patterns of parrot feathers. Parrot tulips are annuals, but you can save and replant parrot tulip bulbs in your spring garden as perennials the following year.

Parrot tulips are hardy growers, and most varieties grow well in USDA Hardiness Zones 4–7.

Here are some of the most popular varieties of parrot tulip:

1. 1. Apricot parrot tulip: Apricot parrot tulip possesses apricot-pink petals striped with shades of creamy white, yellow, and green. These tulips are easy to maintain and grow up to two feet tall.
2. 2. Black parrot tulip: Black parrot tulips have large deep purple petals striped with black. The petal edges ruffle like flames, and the flower stalks can grow up to two feet tall. They bloom in late spring.
3. 3. Blue parrot tulip: Blue parrot tulips have a vibrant violet-blue color that fades to a lighter blue at the petal ends. The petals have a soft and wavy appearance like feathers, and they bloom in late spring.
4. 4. Estella Rijnveld tulip: Also known as Gay Presto, this variety blooms in late spring. It has vibrant pink-red frilled petals, striped with white or yellow, giving it the look of a red-and-white circus tent.
5. 5. Flaming parrot tulip: The flaming variety has bright yellow fringed petals striped with vibrant red, resembling flames. They bloom in late spring.
6. 6. Rococo parrot tulip: These tulips have a classic look, with a deep carmine color edged with vibrant red. Like other varieties, they bloom in late spring and reach a maximum height of two feet.
7. 7. Super parrot tulip: Super parrot tulip has large white ruffled petals that open out in full bloom rather than holding the typical tulip cup shape. They bloom in late spring and grow up to two feet tall.
8. 8. White parrot tulip: The white parrot tulip features large bright white petals, sometimes flecked with pink or light green and fringed at their ends. They bloom in late spring and grow up to twenty inches tall.

Plant your parrot tulip bulbs in fall, anytime between September and November, to give them time to develop before their bloom time in late spring. Make sure to add mulch to your plant's soil to protect new roots from the frost during winter.

Growing parrot tulips from a bulb is a fairly simple process. Follow this easy tutorial for growing parrot tulips in your garden:

1. 1. Choose a location. Pick a planting spot in your garden where you want to plant your parrot tulips. Parrot tulips thrive with well-draining soil, full sun, and protection from strong winds. You can grow parrot tulips in medium-sized containers or pots or plant them directly in your garden's soil.
2. 2. Plant your bulbs. Plant your parrot tulip bulbs at least five inches deep in your prepared soil. Keep your bulbs at least three inches apart if you’re planting multiple. Cover your spring bulbs with soil.
3. 3. Water the area. After planting your bulbs, water the area to help establish the plant’s roots.
4. 4. Mulch the soil for winter. To prepare for winter, cover your soil in mulch to protect your bulbs from the frost.
5. 5. Remove mulch in spring. After the last frost of spring, remove the frost from your flower bed and water your tulip bulbs. They should start to sprout within a few weeks, and by late spring, your parrot tulips should be ready to bloom.

Here are some additional tips for caring for your parrot tulips:

1. 1. Fertilizing: Feed your plant with rich organic fertilizer once a month during the growing season to encourage your parrot tulips to bloom again the following season.
2. 2. Watering: After removing the mulch from your soil after winter, water your parrot tulips once a week. Only water the soil, and avoid getting any water on the foliage of your parrot tulip, which can impede their growth.
3. 3. Pruning: Prune or deadhead dying blooms once they start to wane. (Deadheading is the removal of spent flowers from plants to encourage renewed growth.) However, make sure to leave the foliage on the plant until the leaves have turned completely yellow or brown. The leaves absorb sunlight to prepare your parrot tulip bulbs for another bloom next spring.
4. 4. Replanting: Once the growing season is over and your parrot tulips have finished blooming, dig up your bulbs and store them in a warm, dry place. Once fall arrives, you can replant your bulbs to prepare them for the next growing season.

Grow your own garden with Ron Finley, the self-described "Gangster Gardener." Get the MasterClass Annual Membership and learn how to cultivate fresh herbs and vegetables, keep your house plants alive, and use compost to make your community—and the world—a better place.