Parrot Flower (impatiens psitticana)

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by Island Dar, Apr 20, 2006.

  1. Jimmy

    Jimmy Member

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    Thailand has many species of Impatiens including this Parrot Flower. This Parrot Flower should be one that native to Thailand. The distribution record is only some location in the north.

    Does any one seeing this plant any where else?
     
  2. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    Thanks! I've been corresponding with folks who personally know the photographer who took the original photos. I also correspond with an impatiens collector in England who has visited with him in Thailand. Those photos were taken near Chiang Mai, North Thailand. One researcher in London also told me the plant is only found in North Thailand and Burma. Since I have never been interested in impatiens I cannot vouch for any of this. I only posted what I could find through a lot of research and emails. My interest is rare plants from South America and a few from SE Asia. Interestingly, I am now being accused on another plant website of dreaming up this entire thing to promote my website. The thread got so slanderous they finally took it down. I am not a nursery even though the guy who built my site said in a few places I was. I am a collector. I created my site to share information I've learned about my own collection. I've also received emails accusing me of making up the entire story of the parrot flower to promote my website to sell plants. I find that interesting since it says right on my homepage several times I sell very few plants, primarily extras I have in the collection. I refer most potential buyers to other plant sellers who are listed on my links page. That's OK. I just like to research plants for fun and that's what I did with the parrot flower. The botanical drawings on my website were sent to me by a plant researcher/collector in England. I'm told they came from the Royal Botanical Garden Kew. Steve Lucas
     
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2006
  3. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    Due to my post on Impatiens psittacina I am now receiving email from all over the world about this flower. I just received this link which has all sorts of new photos I've never seen (I think) before. Scroll down on the page. It appears to be a tour of some sort. There are people standing with the Parrot Flower in one photo. If anyone can translate Thai I'd love to know what this says.

    http://www.tourdoi.com/webboard/generate.cgi?content=0302&board=board_1
     
  4. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    I just got some bit of an explanation about the tour. The company is Tourdoi in Thailand. They offer tours to see all sorts of plants. They now have a tour specifically to see the Parrot Flower (Impatiens psittacina). If you go to their homepage you'll find a bunch of plant photos. Those are plants you can see. Click on the photo you want to see and read about the tour. Unfortuanately the Parrot Flower tour is explained in Thai. I've asked the company for a translation. This is the link to the plant tours they offer: http://www.tourdoi.com/general/flower/main_page.htm The Parrot Flower can be found on the right. Click on that photo then click on the link at the bottom of the next page to see the tour. There are several new photos of the plant from different angles. You will have to scroll down a bit.
     
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2006
  5. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    Jimmy, I don't know about others on this thread but I'd love to ask you some questions about your photo of Impatiens psittacina. I tried to send you a personal email through the system but you have it set to block incoming mail. If you will consider accepting mail please change the system. There are lots of people in the US and other places wanting more information about the Parrot Flower. There are lots of people who think this flower is a hoax. Some have even blamed me personally for starting the "hoax". I hear from them all the time. Since you live close to where it grows you can be a great source of information. Thanks! Steve Lucas
     
  6. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    If you are one of those who believe the Parrot Flower is a fake PhotoShop creation you might want to take a look at the second page of my parrot flower post on www.ExoticRainforest.com I have had a bunch of new photos sent from Thailand which are now posted. Just go to the Impatiens psittacina page and down near the bottom you'll find a link to the second page. Another BLOG website posted several claims I personally created the photos which have been circulating the net for 8 months now. The thread got so nasty the publisher took it all down. I thanked them directly. It is kind of hard to say Impatiens psittacina is a fake after seeing these new photos sent from Thailand. I've also given a more detailed explanation of what can and cannot be done with PhotoShop. One last comment if I may. I was accused of inventing this plant to drive people to my website to sell plants. The Exotic Rainforest is a private botanical garden: a plant collection. I sell a few, but very few. I do the website because I love plants not to make money. Steve Lucas
     
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2006
  7. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    We may never get the plant but at least we now have a planting guide!! I just received the information on how to grow it from Thailand via email. It is posted on page 2 of the "Rare Thailand Parrot Flower" description on the Exotic Rainforest website.
     
  8. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    A lot of people read this thread, click on the link to my website, but then don't take the time to look for the information. I know that because of a service I utilize that tells me when people come from this site and where they land. Many simply stop at the homepage. Two different people have done so just today! So, here is the direct link to all the information we've been able to learn about the "Rare Thailand Parrot Flower". And believe, me it is an Impatiens sp. that is well known to science:

    http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Rare Thailand Parrot Flower SP.html

    If you are on the hunt to buy one, you'll likely want to read this link first. IF you can find one, it can easily cost well over $10,000! Read the link and you'll understand why!

    http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Rare Thailand Parrot Flower buy one SP.html
     
  9. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    Just thought some of you might want to know I've been asked to do a follow up on the Garden Rebel radio show this morning during the 11:00AM eastern time hour. The subject is the Rare Thailand Parrot Flower, Impatiens psittacina. You can listen live at this link:


    http://www.radioamerica.org/


    Just click the audio button at the top for the live show beginning at 11:00AM eastern US time. For those of you in the Central zone, that will be 10:00AM. And for those in the western zone, 8:00AM. In Australia, you'll just have to figure it out!!


    Steve
     
  10. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Gee thanks mate!!! ; )

    Ed
     
  11. Dave-Florida

    Dave-Florida Active Member

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    I wandered into this thread via a much-forwarded email that my Mom received from a friend. Information on the flower being an impatiens had disappeared.....

    Wonderful genus. I got to play with variation in the attractive Impatiens biflora for an evolution class in college.
     
  12. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Dave, what do you mean "disappeared"????
    Just curious : )

    Ed
     
  13. Dave-Florida

    Dave-Florida Active Member

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    The chain email simply presented the flower as a spectacular one-of-a-kind, all the more wonderful because you can't see it in the US. Left out the name unless you can read Thai.

    Since the flower was obviously a spectacular impatiens, it took only a little detective work to figure out what it was and connect to the interesting discussion here. And discover that Timber Press has a book, "Impatiens
    The Vibrant World of Busy Lizzies, Balsams, and Touch-me-nots"
    by Raymond J. Morgan
     
  14. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the clarification Dave

    Ed
     
  15. Scherle

    Scherle Member

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    Sure does make for some interesting reading

    I am sure that I have seen it at one of the small nurserys here in Ontario
    But can not remember which one.
    Perhaps not the correct plant but it did look parrot like and was pinky.

    I know the Jewel weed that is perhaps what Cindi was growing. I like that one and this year did find an orange plant as well as pink that I have had a long time

    Here in Ontario the Jewel Weed, as I know it, grows about five feet tall in great soil, less so in regular soil Seems to like sun.
    It self seeds, each year. I leave just one or two plants. O f each as I don't have space for more.

    Would like to learn more about this parrot plant
    My son, may be returning to Thailand in February. Will try to find out more about the plant and perhaps he could bring back seeds, if this is at all possible

    From what Steve has written, it may not be.

    Interesting at any rate

    Didn't know there are many types of impatience.
     
  16. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    More folks from Canada than I can remember have written to say the "Parrot Flower" grows commonly in Canada so I'm sure you've seen one in a nursery somewhere. That plant is Impatiens gladulifera which is pink and a different species from Impatiens psittacina. There is a photo on my website of I glauldifera on the page for the "Parrot Flower". It depends on what angle you view the flower to make it appear to be a flying bird.

    To this day I've been promised seeds of Impatiens psittacina at least a dozen times and even sent the money to pay the postage once. Nothing has ever arrived. I've checked with many botanical gardens around the world and the only one that displays the "Rare Thailand Parrot Flower" is the Queen Sikrit Garden in Chiang Mai northern Thailand.

    If anyone ever finds it in the United States or Canada I'd love to know. But please do send photos since every photo I've ever received was another of the enormous number of Balsaminaceae.
    .
     

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  17. Scherle

    Scherle Member

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    Steve

    Thanks for that reply re the Parrot Flower


    The plant you mentioned is perhaps what we call, or I do, the Jewell weed

    It grows very large and is I think quite a neat plant to grow. The seeds disperse far and wide

    I will see if I can find who I had seen growing , what may be impatiens psitticana , here in Canada

    I have read quite a bit of all that you have written on the subject.
    My son is going to Thailand in February. Wonder if he can turn up that plant

    I know you said it blooms October and November.

    diane brown
     
  18. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    If he is going to Chiang Mai there is a chance. The locals call it Dork Nok Khaew but I have no idea how to pronounce that in Thai! I would ask at the Queen Sikrit Gardens.

    I've been told repeatedly by Americans and others that live in Thailand they will send seeds but so far absolutely nothing. People from Canada write all the time to say they grow it but the photos never match this species. I have a suspicion the common name Parrot Flower has a different meaning in Canada One guy swore it could be bought on 15 or more websites but never sent one link with Impatiens psittacina...........they were always other Impatiens species.


    Good luck with finding seeds!
     
  19. Scherle

    Scherle Member

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    I expect you are correct Steve, about Parrot FLoer in Canada is not just the same as what you are looking for

    Graham, most likely will be in Thailand this February Has friends, teaching there, Canadians.

    Has been twice now and loves it.

    Only reason he may not go in February, is if he finally decides to get married.

    We are hoping, in the family,as is his current girlfriend. But he is now 42, and it hasn't happened yet.

    Will save and later send this information to him

    He is a gardener as well, but not yet all that knowledgeable. Takes years and years, and I still would not say I am all that knowledgeable.
     
  20. soccerdad

    soccerdad Active Member 10 Years

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    How will he smuggle it into Canada?

    Daughters 1 and 2 have each been in Ching Mai in the last two years, and I told each of them that they'd be shot if they tried to get anything vegetative into Canada.
     
  21. Scherle

    Scherle Member

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    Soccer dad

    Now I didn't know this would be a big deal

    You mean one could not bring some seeds back home to Canada.

    I will look into this more

    Thanks so though for this information
    For sure I would not want to get him into any trouble.
     
  22. soccerdad

    soccerdad Active Member 10 Years

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    Well, one would think that mere seeds should not be a problem - although to be safe I'd put them inside my socks - since I have bought seeds through the mail from the UK, from the US, and from South Africa with no problem (admittedly, without Canada Post probably knowing what was in the envelope), but anything larger should be a problem.
     
  23. Scherle

    Scherle Member

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    Thanks soccer dad for that reply

    I as well have brought seeds back home from many places, just stuck somewhere or other.
    So that is good to know

    But will look into this more to be sure

    We sure don't want to make trouble for our children that is for sure.

    How is your garden growing this late summer

    Only one more week of summer left.
     
  24. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    Bringing a few seeds isn't likely to be a major problem but finding viable seeds out of the normal growing season is likely to be a major problem provided you get them past the Thai government. Their laws are very strict and the punishment severe.

    The botanists I've spoken with believe this plant has a very short germination period which is why it hasn't spread naturally in the region. Many plants have germination periods that last only days, require very specific humidity or temperature levels to stay viable or have some peculiar need growers just haven't figured out.

    Besides that, I've not figured out why anyone without a large tropical greenhouse would even want to try growing it. To survive the plant needs extremely high humidity, warm to hot temperatures, lots of rain and that doesn't count the fact the plant grows 2 meters tall and is little more than an tall ugly weed with a few beautiful flowers. Most people would quickly chop it down if one sprung up in a garden.

    Me? Sure, I'd love to grow it but I have a tropical atrium designed for the purpose. But I've learned not everything is meant to be grown by a hobbyist. I have tried many plants that just wont survive due to some strange needs that just can't be provided by a collector.

    I highly doubt the plant will ever be popular. Nature just designed it that way.

    I would suggest you read this before making an attempt: http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Rare Thailand Parrot Flower buy one SP.html
     

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