There are tulips that possess dignity, tulips that possess grace, and tulips that behave themselves impeccably in a formal border.
Then there is ‘Rococo’.
This extraordinary Parrot tulip seems to have been designed on the principle that moderation is overrated. Its great flowers are twisted, puckered, ruffled and feathered, with rich cardinal-red to crimson petals streaked and splashed with green, purple and touches of yellow. Even the individual flowers vary slightly from one another.
The result is wonderfully theatrical.
And the name could hardly be more appropriate. The Rococo style of the eighteenth century delighted in curves, ornament, asymmetry and exuberant decoration. ‘Rococo’ the tulip seems to have absorbed the same philosophy.
It is a flower that refuses to sit quietly in the corner.
What Type of Tulip Is ‘Rococo’?
‘Rococo’ belongs to the Parrot Group of tulips.
Parrot tulips are among the most extraordinary results of centuries of tulip cultivation. Their flowers have irregularly cut, curled, twisted and feathered petals that suggested the ruffled plumage of exotic parrots—hence the name of the group.
The Royal Horticultural Society describes ‘Rococo’ specifically as a Parrot cultivar with thick, puckered tepals of rich red, feathered with green and touched with yellow.
That description is accurate, but perhaps a little too polite.
The flowers can be positively wild.
As they mature, the petals twist and spread, sometimes opening very broadly in warm sunshine. Their crinkled surfaces catch light and shadow differently from ordinary smooth-petaled tulips, making the reds appear deeper in some places and almost luminous in others.
Where Did ‘Rococo’ Come From?
‘Rococo’ is a Dutch cultivar, but its immediate origin is particularly interesting.
It arose as a sport of the old tulip ‘Couleur Cardinal’. A sport is a spontaneous genetic mutation that produces a visibly different shoot or flower on an otherwise established plant. If that mutation is stable, horticulturists can propagate it vegetatively and preserve the new form as a cultivar.
Research on tulip cultivar lineages confirms ‘Couleur Cardinal’ as the parent cultivar of ‘Rococo’, and historic-tulip records likewise describe ‘Rococo’ as a sport of that famous old red tulip.
That gives ‘Rococo’ a rather distinguished ancestry.
‘Couleur Cardinal’ itself is one of the great surviving historic tulips, dating from the nineteenth century. Somewhere along the line, that comparatively restrained old red tulip produced something considerably more flamboyant.
Children will do that occasionally.
When Was ‘Rococo’ Introduced?
‘Rococo’ dates from 1942.
Historic bulb records identify it as a Dutch introduction from that year, and horticultural references credit the cultivar to H. Slegtkamp & Co.
That means ‘Rococo’ has now been in cultivation for more than eighty years.
That is impressive longevity in the world of commercial tulips. Thousands of cultivars have appeared and disappeared during those decades. A tulip that remains recognizable and desirable after eight decades has usually earned its place.
‘Rococo’ certainly has.
Why Is It Called ‘Rococo’?
I have not found a surviving statement from H. Slegtkamp & Co. explicitly explaining the choice of name, so we shouldn't pretend to possess documentary evidence that isn't there.
But in this case the resemblance is almost impossible to miss.
The historical Rococo style developed in eighteenth-century France and reveled in elaborate decoration, curving forms, asymmetry and natural motifs. The Smithsonian's Cooper Hewitt describes Rococo as emphasizing organic forms and curved lines rather than rigid classical geometry.
Now look at the tulip.
Nothing is straight that could be curved.
Nothing is plain that could be ruffled.
Nothing is merely red when it could also contain green, purple and yellow.
If the cultivar was indeed named in reference to the artistic style—and its appearance makes that interpretation highly plausible—the name was inspired.
A Tulip With an Older Family History
Although ‘Rococo’ itself dates only from 1942, Parrot tulips have a much older history.
Their strange feathered forms emerged among cultivated tulips centuries ago, and the group became part of the extraordinary diversity produced during the long development of European tulip culture.
Modern Parrot tulips descend from mutations and selections in which petals became irregular, deeply cut, twisted or feathered. Current horticultural descriptions still emphasize mutation as an important source of these unusual forms.
‘Rococo’ is a splendid example of what happens when a genetic oddity becomes horticultural treasure.
The ordinary flower obeys the rules.
The memorable flower occasionally breaks them.
What Does ‘Rococo’ Look Like?
The dominant color is a deep cardinal to carmine red, but describing ‘Rococo’ simply as a red tulip misses most of the point.
The outside of the petals can carry conspicuous green feathering along with purple or burgundy tones. Yellow may appear in streaks and near the base. The flowers become increasingly flamboyant as they open. The Chicago Botanic Garden describes the cultivar as deep cardinal red with green and purple feathering.
Even the texture is unusual.
The petals can appear thick, folded, crumpled and almost waxy. One section catches the sunlight while another falls into shadow.
A bed of ‘Rococo’ therefore possesses much more depth than a bed of uniformly colored smooth-petaled tulips.
Shorter Than Many Parrot Tulips
‘Rococo’ is also relatively compact.
Historic-tulip specialists commonly describe it as about 14 to 16 inches tall and note that it is both shorter and somewhat earlier than many traditional Parrot tulips.
That can be an advantage.
Parrot flowers are large and heavy. Tall stems carrying enormous flowers can suffer in strong wind or heavy rain, especially after the petals have collected water.
A somewhat shorter plant presents less leverage to the wind.
Even so, ‘Rococo’ deserves a reasonably sheltered location. The RHS recommends protection from strong winds and excessive wet.
Magnificence sometimes requires a little looking after.
How to Use ‘Rococo’ in the Landscape
The first rule is simple: put it somewhere it can be seen.
This is not a tulip to plant at the far end of the property.
Its chief attractions are the extraordinary feathering, twisting and subtle mixtures of color within each flower. Those details disappear at fifty feet.
Plant ‘Rococo’ near a walkway, terrace, entrance or sitting area.
The RHS recommends it for flower beds and borders, cottage and informal gardens, courtyard gardens, containers and cutting gardens.
Its moderate height makes it especially useful toward the front or middle of a border.
Let ‘Rococo’ Be the Star
With a flower this elaborate, companion planting requires a little restraint.
There is a temptation to put flamboyant flowers beside other flamboyant flowers until the border resembles a carnival parade.
Sometimes that works.
Usually, ‘Rococo’ benefits from quieter companions.
Deep green foliage is perhaps the simplest background. It echoes the green streaking in the petals without competing with the flowers themselves.
A planting of ‘Rococo’ emerging from a restrained green border allows every strange twist and fold of the flowers to stand out.
Pair It With Cream and White
White or cream flowers can be magnificent companions.
They provide visual breathing room around the intense crimson and green of ‘Rococo’.
Rather than alternating individual bulbs, plant groups.
A broad group of ‘Rococo’ beside a quieter group of creamy-white tulips will usually look more natural than a strict red-white-red-white pattern.
The pale flowers act almost like light falling between the darker ones.
Deep Purple Makes It Richer
Deep purple, plum and burgundy can also work beautifully.
These colors draw attention to the darker purple tones already present in ‘Rococo’ and produce an exceptionally rich planting.
Use them sparingly.
‘Rococo’ already has plenty to say.
A few dark companions provide punctuation. Too many may start an argument.
Try It With Spring Green
Green-flowered tulips can make particularly interesting companions because they repeat the conspicuous green markings in ‘Rococo’.
A white-and-green Viridiflora, for example, would create a fascinating contrast: one tulip restrained and elegant, the other flamboyant and restless, but both connected by green.
The combination has enough contrast to be interesting and enough repetition to look intentional.
Wonderful in a Cottage Garden
Despite the grandeur suggested by its name, ‘Rococo’ fits beautifully into a cottage garden.
Its irregular flowers actually work particularly well among emerging perennials, where the surrounding foliage softens the planting.
Imagine groups of those great crimson-and-green flowers appearing between clumps of fresh spring foliage along an old brick path.
The effect is sumptuous without becoming formal.
In fact, ‘Rococo’ looks remarkably good in a garden that is just slightly overgrown.
Not neglected.
There is an important distinction.
Spectacular in Containers
This may be one of the best ways to grow ‘Rococo’.
A large container brings the flowers closer to eye level, allowing all those strange folds, feathers and streaks to be appreciated properly.
Use a substantial terracotta pot or traditional urn and plant the bulbs generously.
I would be inclined to let ‘Rococo’ stand alone rather than complicating the container with too many other large flowers. If you want something beneath it, use a restrained low-growing plant in cream, white or deep purple.
A pot full of ‘Rococo’ beside a doorway requires very little assistance.
Plant Enough to Create Drama
One ‘Rococo’ flower is a curiosity.
Five make a handsome group.
Twenty-five make a spectacle.
This cultivar is especially effective when repeated through a border in irregular colonies. Because the individual flowers vary slightly in their feathering and coloring, even a large planting does not become monotonous.
Quite the opposite.
The more flowers you have, the more variations you notice.
It is almost as though every bulb has been given the same set of colors but different instructions for using them.
An Excellent Cut Flower
‘Rococo’ also makes a superb cut tulip.
Its strange flower form becomes even more apparent indoors, where the blossoms can be examined closely. The Chicago Botanic Garden and RHS both recognize its usefulness as a cut flower.
A vase containing only a handful can be spectacular.
You don't need an elaborate mixed arrangement. The green and purple feathering already gives the flowers much of the complexity that foliage and companion flowers would normally provide.
Put them in a simple vase and let them misbehave.
Growing ‘Rococo’
Plant the bulbs in autumn in fertile, well-drained soil.
Full sun is best, although a location with some protection from severe wind is particularly valuable for Parrot tulips. The RHS recommends planting ‘Rococo’ approximately 4 to 6 inches deep and specifically cautions against excessive wet.
Good drainage is essential.
After flowering, remove the spent flowers if you intend to retain the bulbs, but leave the foliage until it yellows naturally.
The leaves are replenishing the bulb.
It isn't the prettiest stage of tulip cultivation, but gardens, like people, occasionally have to do useful things while not looking their best.
Will ‘Rococo’ Return?
It can.
Parrot tulips, however, are not generally the first tulips one would choose for dependable naturalizing. Historic-tulip specialists acknowledge the group's reputation for being relatively short-lived, although individual tulips can persist for many years when conditions suit them.
If you want the best chance of repeat flowering, provide excellent drainage, plenty of sunlight and a relatively dry summer dormancy.
Allow the foliage to mature completely.
And don't be terribly surprised if the display gradually diminishes. Many gardeners simply supplement their Parrot tulips with fresh bulbs periodically to maintain the desired effect.
Some extravagances are worth renewing.
More Than Eighty Years of Flamboyance
‘Rococo’ has survived in cultivation since 1942 for a very good reason.
It is unforgettable.
Born as a sport of the venerable ‘Couleur Cardinal’ and introduced from Holland by H. Slegtkamp & Co., it transformed an old red tulip into something altogether more extravagant: a mass of crimson, cardinal red, green, purple and yellow wrapped in twisted and feathered petals.
More than eighty years later, it still looks daring.
Plant it beside an old brick walk. Fill a terracotta pot with it. Let it emerge among perennials in a cottage border. Or plant a generous drift where afternoon sunlight can catch every fold and wrinkle of those extraordinary flowers.
There are tulips that bring order to a garden.
There are tulips that bring serenity.
‘Rococo’ brings theater.
And every good garden can use a little of that.
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