Double Tulips vs. Parrot Tulips

Double Early Tulips

• The advantage of double-early tulips is they are one of the first flowers to emerge in spring, appearing right after the single early tulips. The colors are vivid, but limited primarily to pink, red, yellow and white. The blossoms are about 3 inches across and the stems are about 1 foot long. Because of their size, they are also well-suited to forcing indoors.

Double-late Tulips

• Double-late tulips are sometimes called peony tulips because they produce large blossoms with rounded petals that resemble peonies. They have larger flowers and a wider color range than double-early tulips. The blossoms are about 4 1/2 inches across and the stems are up to 24 inches tall. The large, heavy blossoms can cause the tall stems to fall over, especially in windy areas, so plant them in location protected from strong winds. They might need staking.

Parrot Tulips

• Mutations of late-flowering tulips sometimes result in large, irregular-shaped petals, often streaked with contrasting colors. Called parrot tulips, these huge blossoms open wider than standard or double tulips and most grow on tall stems so that they tower above other varieties. The blossoms change in appearance from day to day as they open and spread. The subtle changes are easiest to see and enjoy when the plants are grown indoors in pots, but parrot tulips also perform well in the garden. Hybridizers have used these mutations to breed a fascinating variety of unusual-looking tulips in a wide range of colors. Most parrot tulips bloom in late spring. Choose parrot tulips when you want large, eye-catching, late-season blooms.

Hybrids

• Double and parrot tulips are hybrids bred for their outstanding blossoms. Hybrid tulips don't rebloom year after year as species tulips do. Each successive year's blooms are smaller and weaker than the year before, and many don't bloom at all after two years. Because the bulbs are at their best the first year, choose the largest and best quality bulbs when purchasing hybrid tulips for your garden. Plan to dig them up and replace them every year or two.