(Scripps Howard)Yes, parrot tulips are just weird and may turn off traditional gardeners. But for the lover of new and exciting forms, they are the most coveted of all.
Green Wave features beautiful pink shades.
Parrot tulips are so named for their unusually bright flowers. They appeal to artists and free spirits who worship individuality and nuance. Highbrow designers gravitate toward their bizarre shapes and colors as the trendiest moderns, whether as cut flowers or in gardens.
Parrots appear serendipitously, when the genetic material in tulip plants goes haywire during cell division. Called "de novo mutations," their color and form are not inherited but occur at unusual times in the plant life cycle. These individuals will then be propagated asexually by cutting or bulb.
Parrots were rare before the 20th century and shunned because their stems were notoriously twisted, too, making them less than ideal for traditional bouquets. They tended to flop in gardens, lying in the mud. But with the discovery of the stiffer-stemmed "Fantasy" in 1910, parrots experienced a renaissance. Today they are among the most favored of bridal flowers.
In Holland, where tulip breeding has been raised to both high art and space-age science, growers are always on the lookout for mutants, which often result in a new parrot-tulip variety. It is well-known that exposure to radiation can interfere with cell division to thus increase the chances of developing mutants. Whole fields of tulip plants are exposed, and the resulting flowers are studied for signs of deformity.
Another method used to force mutations is the direct application of cytokinins to the tulip plant. Cytokinins are plant-growth hormones that stimulate cell differentiation. For example, adding certain cytokinins to an orchid flower stalk can cause it to produce roots. The breeders know exactly what hormones to apply to stimulate the highest rate of mutation.
Parrots can produce petals with feathered edges in various textures and densities. The petals may curl in odd directions, twist or wave. The colors may exhibit flame variations for multiple hues. Among the most exotic is "Rococo," a vivid red that features green, yellow and purple curling accents at the base of the petals. "Black Parrot" is equally exotic, with more feathered petal edges. "Orange Favorite" features deeply lobed feathering, accented with green and black flares. "Apricot Parrot" has varying petal effects and rich colors that make it as suited to a tropical setting as a cottage-garden border.
A great selection of parrots is online at
www.johnscheepers.com; you can request a catalog by calling (860) 567-0838. John Scheepers Inc. carries the highly coveted "Green Wave" and "Flaming Parrot," among others.
With the spare modern decorating style so popular today, the wildness of the parrot tulip provides the perfect foil to its rigid lines and pure fields. It dares to be different, to wear its satins and sequins, even when accomplishing the most pedestrian task.
For the new gardener who has never planted bulbs before, let the parrot become an expression of your own individuality.
Maureen Gilmer is a horticulturist and host of "Weekend Gardening" on DIY Network. Contact her at her Web site, www.moplants.com, or visit www.diynetwork.com.
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