Strelitzia trunks

Mr List

Strelitzia trunks

Post by Mr List »

do all Strelitzia form trunks or just the giant one?
paulrm71

Re: Strelitzia trunks

Post by paulrm71 »

I think the giant one you are referring to is the travellers palm, I made the same mistake when I saw them in Thailand. Thought they looked like giant strelizias!!!
paulrm71

Re: Strelitzia trunks

Post by paulrm71 »

I think the giant one you are referring to is the travellers palm, I made the same mistake when I saw them in Thailand. Thought they looked like giant strelizias!!!
flounder

Re: Strelitzia trunks

Post by flounder »

Strelitzia nicolai or augusta form trunks, or pseudo stems if you prefer
Mr List

Re: Strelitzia trunks

Post by Mr List »

Strelitzia nicolai is the one i saw labeled as 'giant bird of paradise'

which is the hardiest out of Strelitzia nicolai and Strelitzia augusta ?

ps

these don't look very psuedo icon_scratch
strelitzia_nicolai3.jpg
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Dave Brown
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Re: Strelitzia trunks

Post by Dave Brown »

I wouldn't call it a psuedostem, as it is woody. Bananas grow all leaves from the meristem just above the rhizome, near ground level, but Strelitzia nicolai grows it's leaves from the top of the trunk, more akin to a palm.

Strelitzia reginea does not form trunks as such, and only reaches 3 to 4 ft in height.

I really don't know which is hardiest, but neither are here. The leaves can take -1 or possibly -2C without damage although they are reputed to take -6C in California, but they rarely get a freeze, with temps rebounding well above freezing during the day. Also they grow faster over there, so can grow out damage in a few months.

It needs heat to grow well, but although temps were above average here over summer, we didn't get many hot days, and sunshine levels were well down on normal. The result was my S. nicolai only grew 2 leaves, and one of those was mostly grown inside before it was placed outside. The gales promptly snapped that one off, so the sum total for this growing season is 1 leaf :ahhh!:
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Arlon Tishmarsh
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Re: Strelitzia trunks

Post by Arlon Tishmarsh »

Dave Brown wrote: It needs heat to grow well........
Agree.........i've kept my Bird of Paradise in the g/h this year. Its flowering again for the second time this year , half a dozen pushing out at the mo. Had about 8/10 paddles this year as well
Mr List

Re: Strelitzia trunks

Post by Mr List »

i wonder how much shade it could take as a houseplant?

i think i might try one on my steps in place of the philodendron i have and maybe give one a go outside.
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Leigh
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Re: Strelitzia trunks

Post by Leigh »

Mr List wrote:i wonder how much shade it could take as a houseplant?

i think i might try one on my steps in place of the philodendron i have and maybe give one a go outside.
As a house-plant they need a lot of light to do well and be kept really Pot bound to flower not sure how this would work if you plant one in the garden even if it did survive ?. I wouldn't chance it, even in the Costa del Pompey :lol: :lol:

Both of mine are in pots which go out about march each year and tend to start pushing out Flower spikes this time of year which is handy because now is the time they both come in after being in the Garden brought my biggest one (which I don't expect to flower this year as I re-potted in a much bigger pot during the summer) in last weekend
Leigh
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Re: Strelitzia trunks

Post by Arlon Tishmarsh »

Mr List wrote:i wonder how much shade it could take as a houseplant?
I rescued mine from a couple in Bristol who grew it indoors. The stems and were growing all over the place and even along the floor just trying to find more light. If thats anything to go by , anything approaching shady is a no no. They need maximum light imo
Nathan

Re: Strelitzia trunks

Post by Nathan »

Leigh wrote:... I wouldn't chance it, even in the Costa del Pompey :lol: :lol:
I did have a nice one planted outside for a good few years & it flowered every summer too. Unfortunately I decided to move it as I wanted to plant something else where it was. When I went to dig it up I underestimated just how long the thick tap roots went down & I snapped them. It never recovered & slowly died over the next few months :(
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Leigh
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Re: Strelitzia trunks

Post by Leigh »

Nathan wrote:
Leigh wrote:... I wouldn't chance it, even in the Costa del Pompey :lol: :lol:
I did have a nice one planted outside for a good few years & it flowered every summer too. Unfortunately I decided to move it as I wanted to plant something else where it was. When I went to dig it up I underestimated just how long the thick tap roots went down & I snapped them. It never recovered & slowly died over the next few months :(
I think previous to 2010 I might have give it a go though I do get slightly colder to you. I remember having a Zantedeschia flower through two winters on the trot

Interesting on the Flowering with a free root run maybe it was the good Summers we used to have :lol: but they do get some tap roots on them even the one I re-potted this year from a 15ltr to a 30ltr had roots as thick as my fingers coming out the bottom of the pot within a month
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Nathan

Re: Strelitzia trunks

Post by Nathan »

Yep I wouldn't stand much chance getting one to flower now anyway as my garden is shaded so much now my bigger plants have taken over, regardless of summer temperatures! :roll:
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Leigh
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Re: Strelitzia trunks

Post by Leigh »

Nathan wrote:Yep I wouldn't stand much chance getting one to flower now anyway as my garden is shaded so much now my bigger plants have taken over, regardless of summer temperatures! :roll:
Got the same problem myself now with shade, only problem with Pompeys small town gardens. But opens up other avenues for plantings
Leigh
Nathan

Re: Strelitzia trunks

Post by Nathan »

At least once stuff gets taller it provides a canopy & so protects more tender shade loving plants. Next year I'm planning on trying a Cyathea medullaris & hope to get another Rhopalostylis sapida icon_thumleft
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