Strelitzia nicolai, commonly known as Bird of Paradise, is more recognizable for its bright orange flowers than it is for its broad leaves. Not enough sunlight and moisture means the flowers may not bloom, Over-watering is bad for this plant, only water when needed. Also known by the name of Strelitzia Nicolai, the white bird of paradise is a perfect ornament that will send out a vertical presence in your house. The inflorescence is composed of a dark blue bract, white sepals and a ⦠It rewards a minimum of care with lush blossom splendure. When not tapping away at her keyboard, Laura can be found making endless cups of tea or perusing the shelves of Sydney’s many bookstores. Pet/baby safe. General care Strelitzia reginae is not hardy and requires a minimum winter night temperature of 10-12°C (50-54°F) They also prefer a humid atmosphere, which is why they tend to thrive and flower well in conservatories and glasshouses. Early spring is the best time to repot those plants which need this attention. What you need to know about bird of paradise Name: bird of paradise, strelitzia , crane flower, birdâs tongue flower (Strelitzia reginae) Plant type: evergreen, forms a trunkless clump Height: to around 1.2m tall by 2â3m wide with age Foliage: similar to a small banana leaf but on a stem, very rigid, green to grey-blue. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. But, mine is looking bad and down to three leaves. Bird of paradise prefers high humidity. Bird of paradise grows 4' ⦠Get your mag delivered!-Save 29% off the cover price! Give the plant a feed once a fortnight during spring and summer, but don’t feed it during winter. Outdoor Culture. The Bird of Paradise plant, or strelitzia, is a large and gorgeous foliage plant that looks just as majestic indoors in a pot, as it does outside in the garden.This plant is famous for its round palm-like leaves and its brightly-coloured architectural flowers that bloom to look like tropical birds â earning the strelitzia the household name of âBird of Paradiseâ plant. Easy to care for and looks beautiful Zoe1001 Bought this a few weeks ago and plant is very low maintenance. Watch the video below. The distinctive bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae or Strelizia nicolai) is one of the best known of all the tropical flowers and is a cousin to the banana.Surprisingly, the bird of paradise is easier to grow than many tropical plants and makes for a vigorous, rapidly growing indoor plant. The trick to successful growth indoors is providing lots of bright light with some direct sun, regular watering, and warmth. 99 Monitor the plant for aphids, scale, and mites. The bird of paradise flower is an evergreen perennial; this means that the plant usually keeps its green foliage throughout the year, but it also means that the plant dies when it frosts and temperatures drop, and then it will reemerge through spring.. Bird of paradise is one of the flashiest flowers you will ever see! A good position is in a room with windows facing east or west. This plant is famous for its round palm-like leaves and its brightly-coloured architectural flowers that bloom to look like tropical birds – earning the strelitzia the household name of ‘Bird of Paradise’ plant. Costa Farms White Bird of Paradise Strelitzia nicolai, Indoor Plant in Décor Planter, 28-Inches Tall, Fresh from Our Farm 4.3 out of 5 stars 593 $55.99 $ 55 . You might be more familiar with this plants flower than with its foliage. Feed it in the springtime with slow-release pellets or weekly during the growing season with liquid fertilizer. Strelitzia require a little bit of extra care if you want it to look lush and gorgeous all year round – and if you want the flowers to bloom then you’ll need to be extra diligent. They will need year-round light even inside. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board. The houseplant is potted with a so-called semi hydroponics; the soil contains clay granules that absorb water, providing the plant with a continuous water level. If you repot it, you will disrupt the bloom cycle. Be careful not to over-water, and reduce watering during the cooler months. Bird of paradise is also susceptible to Botrytis cinerea (gray mold). The flowers usually appear between April and November, but may not appear until the plant is 4 to 5 years old. A South African native, the plant is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 12. Air purifying. Use a high-quality potting mix to fill your pot and choose a pot at least 40cm wide pot with holes for drainage. Plant type. Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) craves heat, growing best in temperatures over 50 F. Winter hardy in Zones 10 to 12, bird of paradise adapts readily to containers. Nursery pot size. Strelitzia Nicolai XXL: this large plant will need care as frequently as your average cactus! Avoid rooms with only a north-facing window. How to tell the difference between strelitzia species, 5 ways to add colour to your garden in winter, The essential guide to Australian native plants. Caring for the large Stelitzia Nicolai is much easier than you might think! They rarely perform well as houseplants, as ⦠Difficulties: At low humidity, it suffers from a spider mite, a scabbard, a mealybug may appear. In this video I'm repotting my White Bird of Paradise plant (Strelitzia Nicolai) and share helpful tips as I go along. My botanical name is Strelitzia nicolai but I am more commonly known as White Bird of Paradise. The garden experts at Bunnings suggest popping you strelitzia in a suitably warm and sunny position, and don’t forget to keep it watered in summer. There are five main species and varieties, although only Strelitzia Reginae and Strelitzia Nicolai are treated as houseplants. Plant height (including pot) 90-100cm; 130-140cm . Bird-of-paradise or crane flower (Strelitzia reginae) is a native of South Africa and is closely related to the banana. This plant needs bright light, including some direct sunlight, to bloom well. If the pot is big enough It can grow to 2 m / 6.6 ft tall, with large, tough banana like leaves 25â70cm / 9.8â28in long. The bird of paradise plant (Strelitzia reginae) is a tropical favorite known for its flamboyant birdlike blooms. The Bird of Paradise got its name from the flowers that are produced from many varieties resembling the plumage of a bird called the Bird of Paradise. It can also be grown from seed, but division is easier, as it can take months for the seeds to germinate. I am native to South Africa but I was grown in Florida and am so happy to be going to my new home. For temperatures, the Strelitzia reginaelikes it warm in the 70 to 90-degree range. Strelitzia prefer light, free-draining soil with an extra bit of fertilizer or compost every three months during growing season. Avoid direct sunlight to prevent scorching its leaves. Hi guys! The same requirements for light apply to indoor plants too. It is a trunk forming, clustering tree to 6m high with banana-like shiny green leathery leaves, having an obtuse base arranged in two ranks. To bring the plant to bloom once it is four to five years old, keep it pot-bound. This is not a cold-tolerant plant, and it recovers slowly from frost damage. Keep the soil continually moist throughout the year. Yes. How to Grow and Care for Chinese Money Plant, How to Grow and Care for the Yesterday-Today-and-Tomorrow Plants, 5 Different Species of Bird of Paradise Plants. Surprisingly, the bird of paradise is easier to grow than many tropical plants and makes for a vigorous, rapidly growing indoor plant. It is sometimes referred to as the Crane plant due to the flowers looking like the feathers on the head of a crane. The biggest drawbacks are their size—they grow to 5 to 6 feet tall—and the fact that the plants need three to five years before they flower. Keep the air temperature above 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. However, it requires shielding in direct midday summer sun, which can burn the leaves of younger plants. Summary of Strelitzia facts. While it should not be waterlogged, expect to water it daily in the spring and summer as it loses moisture through its big leaves. Evergreen perennial, indoor. The Bird of Paradise plant is also poisonous to cats and dogs if eaten, so steer clear of this one if your pet has a habit of chewing on your plants. Also, plants grown outdoors in desert climates should be planted in a partial shade situation. Name â Strelitzia reginae Family â Strelitziaceae Type â perennial. A bird of paradise that is 3 to 4 feet tall grows well in a 10-inch pot. If you provide good care and repot regularly, it can easily grow to well over 7 feet. The Strelitzia reginae is relatively unpretentious and can also be easily grown in the Central European climate. The plant can lose flowers if ⦠Read on to learn how to take care of birds of paradise in the garden. S. reginae is very well known, and arguably the most common species (picture above). Some say blossoms of the bird of paradise plant resemble the heads of tropical birds, but others say they look like brightly colored birds in full flight. Looks beautiful 5 Pucci82000 I got this a month ago ⦠If you take care of some basic nurturing principles, this exotic, not winter-hardy plant will thrive magnificently. The best time to transplant strelitzia outdoors is during late spring or early summer. The large leaves range from 12 and 18 inches long, and they can shred when exposed to windy conditions or when brushed in a busy hallway. Strelitzia is a superb plant that comes from the tropics, boasting simply magnificent flowers and nicely dense leafage. The one below is in a 14-inch pot and it is staying there! It’s an evergreen variety and is a tropical plant. The distinctive bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae or Strelizia nicolai) is one of the best known of all the tropical flowers and is a cousin to the banana. From Douentza Garden in Wexford, Ireland. Strelitzia reginae, also known as bird of paradise plant, is so named for its intense orange and blue blooms that resemble the head of an exotic bird. There are five Strelitzia species, but only two are commonly grown as indoor plants: Strelitzia reginae (the orange bird of paradise) and Strelitzia nicolai (the white bird of paradise). 19cm; 35cm In colder regions, many gardeners tuck it into a pot they can shift outdoors during the summer. Flowers and leaves with this condition will develop dark spots followed by a layer of gray mold. If the plants are grown in pots, those 7, 8or 9-in. But, our winters are warmer. Strelitzia Nicolai (Giant white bird of paradise) is an ornamental house plant. Itâs uncanny how much this flower resembles a tropical bird, isnât it? The leaves burst wide and give your home an appealing tone when growing under suitable conditionsâwhich weâll figuratively discuss in this care guide. The horticultural gurus at Yates suggest giving an indoor strelitzia a solid start to life indoors. Throughout the rest of the United States, it enjoys widespread popularity as ⦠Height â 3 to 6 ½ feet (1 to 2 meters) Exposure â full sun, part sun Soil â ⦠Strelitzia reginae is a native to the eastern coastlines of southern Africa, where it grows wild in patches that are sometimes miles across. If Strelitzia is grown in a bed of soil, care must be taken that it is well drained. Strelitzia bird of paradise needs rich soil that is well draining. The care factors for growing the white bird of paradise plant whether indoors or outdoors are similar. The Bird of Paradise plant, or strelitzia, is a large and gorgeous foliage plant that looks just as majestic indoors in a pot, as it does outside in the garden. After a few queries about how to move or remove a Strelitzia, I decided that it was high time to remove a small specimen so I could study the root structure.A S. nicolai plant had seeded itself a few years ago next to an unsightly telephone pole on my lawn. Usually requires re-potting every 3 years. Keep humidity levels high, temperatures above 60°F (15°C), and fertilize monthly during the growing season. It blooms most profusely when in full sun, but indoor plants should be slightly away from southern windows to avoid burning. This plant is a heavy feeder. Feed the plant with compost early in spring before new growth begins, and then fertilize every week or so during the growing season. Features of care: For better flowering, the plant needs a rest period in winter in a well-lit room at a low temperature. It can be moved outside in the summer, and in warmer climes, it thrives for half the year outside. Divide infrequently because crowded clumps produce the most blooms. Bird of paradise is a rapidly-growing plant that needs to reach a certain size before it will bloom. Jon VanZile is a Master Gardener and the author of "Houseplants for a Healthy Home.". For this re Systemic pesticide is also effective. How to care for bird of paradise plants (Strelitzia): Strelitzia plants need bright light and some direct sunlight when grown indoors or outdoors. Nickname. Now it is extremely hot and we have not had rain since last september. This video is about repotting a very pot-bound Strelitzia reginae, bird of paradise plant. Looking for some advice on how to choose the perfect location for a plant outside? I can grow 7-8 feet tall and will add beautiful full, green look to your home. Often referred to as banana plant, since the leaves do have a very similar shape to those of a banana tree, Strelitzia is a much hardier choice to be kept as an indoor houseplant. Once it reaches maturity, you will want it to be pot-bound so it will bloom. 99% of the Bird of Paradise I see for sale in Toronto are the 'Giant White' (Strelitzia nicolai) variety which aren't particularly house-friendly because they grow up to 30ft and can't be pruned to contain its size.I mean just look at the size of the specimen at Cloud Gardens! Soiling Option Strelitzia like moisture during hot weather. Note: The plant is mildly toxic to dogs, cats, and people, but it takes eating quite a bit of it to have an effect. If overwatered, the plant will develop crunchy brown leaves. I live in what I believe would be comparable to a zone 13. Repot it every spring into a somewhat larger pot. If underwatered, the leaves farthest from the center will turn yellow. Laura Barry is a writer, bookworm and interior design enthusiast with a love for reporting on all things homes, travel and lifestyle. Cathy Askia is a Master Gardener and member of The Spruce Gardening and Plant Care Review Board with over 30 years of home gardening experience. Dark spots on foxes arise from the excess moisture in the soil. There are three strelitzia species: reginae, juncea and nicolai, and all are used to make a dramatic impact in the garden, as hardy foliage plants or to create a tropical-look garden indoors and outdoors. Yours is probably Strelitzia alba or White Bird of Paradise. You can grow this plant in a garden or near a poolside. It does better in reduced indoor light than Reginae that grows best outdoors. Strelitzia prefer warm temperatures and sheltered areas that don’t get cold. Regardless, ideal bird of paradise growing conditions both indoors and out remain the same: bright light, well-drained soil and adequate water through the growing season. Remove the affected parts of the plant and give your plant regular airing. I know that this is supposed to be an easy plant to grow. 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