Thailand’s parrot flower whose scientific name is “impatiens psittacina” was discovered by a British official A.H. Hildebrand who also happened to be a world renowned botanist. In 1901 it was first described by Joseph Dalton Hooker after its seeds were sent to the Royal Gardens in 1899 and it flowered in 1900.
It also grows wild in parts of India and Myanmar. The flower itself is considered one of the most beautiful creations ever found on the planet earth. If you are lucky enough to find one in full bloom and are able to view it at the right angle, it almost looks like it is a bird sitting on a branch in a bush, which coincidentally is how it got its name.
The parrot flower colors are quite striking and can seem to change right in front of your eyes if the light happens to move. Its main color is a flowing purple, but it also has yellow, white, and an off shade of carmine red in it. In Thailand it is mainly found in the northern part of the country around a city named Chiang Mai.
The local inhabitants in this part of the country fully understand how rare and beautiful of a flower the parrot is, and not only cultivate it for decorations in their own homes, but also for export to some of the bigger cities in Thailand like Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket.
When the plant is fully grown it can reach a height of about a half meter or so, and it has quite a few branches that the flower grows on. It has very thick stems which makes it quite a robust bush and because of that, it is able to withstand very strong rain and wind storms. It is not unusual to find a plant that has between five to ten flowers on it that are all in full bloom. When that happens it is truly a spectacular sight that everybody should have a chance to see firsthand at least once in their life.
The Thai government has banned the export of its seeds because the parrot flower is so rare that it is now considered a national treasure. More than one person has stated that they believe the flower is either manmade or some kind of Photoshop creation when they first see it in a magazine or on the internet.
If you happen to be one of those types of people that really appreciates everything Mother Nature has provided us and you end up in Thailand, then having a chance to view the parrot flower up close and personal is an absolute must experience.
