Parrot Flower

The Very Rare Parrot Flower

This is a flower from Thailand. It is also a protected species and is not allowed to be exported. This is the only way we’re able to view this flower.

Parrot Flower (scientific name : Impatiens psittacina) is a flower that looks like a parrot. Okay I get that, but I really didn’t believe it till I got my eyes on it. Talk about another’s of natures creations. There are things that are pretty, and then again there are things that are pretty. Yes I know that parrots are green but trust me now I can actually visualize them as pink. They look real and if the birds were pink they’d look just the same.

These delicate parrot flowers simply hang in there, but whichever angle you look at them from you’d still see pink parrots. I’m not sure where they’re found but obviously they’re a rare phenomenon. Honestly I’ve never seen a real one. If I was a cynic I’d say someone was fooling me but they look too real and pretty to be the work of idle minds.

A balsam, Impatiens psittacina is a very rare impatiens species discovered and identified to botanical world in 1901 by botanist E.D. Hooker. This plant raises only in a small part of north Thailand (near Chiang Mai), Burma, and one territory of eastern India. The species can be found in several botanical reference books including Plants of India. The original botanical drawings are now posted at several website on the internet. Hooker originally stumble upon the plant in India and brought back the seed to the Royal Botanic Garden Kew in London. Those seeds did not reproduce after the first year.

Parrot Flower, the varied and fantastic forms and rich colors of the different species of (Parrot Flower) Heliconia make them an important florist item, particularly prized for large and signature arrangements. Parrot Flower, is named after Mount Helicon, the seat of the Muses, the nine goddesses of the arts and sciences in Greek mythology. Like their god Apollo, the Muses supposedly remained young and beautiful forever like the long-lasting and elegant flowers of Heliconia. Lobster claw and Crab's claw are additional common names for flowers in this genus.

Parrot Flowers are normally harvested fully mature – the flowers will not open past the stage at which they are harvested. While flowers last longer if the bracts are less open compared to more open, they generally do not open further after harvest and that may reduce their visual appeal. Therefore, the openness of the flower at purchase often is the most it ever will open. Consumer life varies greatly among species and cultivars, thus, learn species and cultivar differences. Parrot Flowers are native to the tropical Americas, and are therefore very sensitive to chilling injury. They should never be held at temperatures below 10-12.5ºC. Flowers may be stored in moist shredded newsprint, or in water at 12.5ºC.

(Just over one year ago there were several discussions on this board regarding an email which was captioned "The Rare Thailand Parrot Flower". It circulated the internet for much of the first half of last year. Many people thought the photos were fake. They are not.

That species is a rare impatiens from Northern Thailand, Burma and portions of eastern India known to science as Impatiens psittacina. Apparently the email is now on its second journey around the world! The Rare Thailand Parrot Flower has taken flight again!

First it is extremely rare in nature. Second, it is illegal to collect, possess or sell in Thailand. And third, few people have the facilities to grow one in the United States. This one is tough to grow even for highly experienced rare impatiens collectors. Not one single botanical garden in the US that I can locate grows or displays the species. And believe me, I've checked! There has to be a good reason!

Rather than take up a ton of space here I've prepared a link explaining why you can't buy it, unless of course you are willing to fly to Thailand in late November or December and attempt to bring back your own seeds. There is a tour company that takes people to see it when it is in bloom. But that could be costly both in airfare and jail time!)