STRELITZIA

[The Codfather]

Fell in love with this on holiday.......thought it was a form of bananna at first. Tried to get a cutting but failed so bought some seeds....wired looking things...bright orange fuzzy bit's on them. Anway, can anyone give advice on germation. Also, looked to buy a plant already growing, but they seem hard to find....

[musabasjoos]

Coddy, most good garden centres sell them, usually the orange variety(Strelitzia reginae) but they’re never cheap.

[MikeC]

Hi Codfather.

I bought some of the seed too whilst on holiday, but they never germinated. I believe seed needs to be freash to germinate. In the end I bought a big bag of seed from a specialist online and they germinated in a box of damp vermiculite sat in my airing cupboard.

There's giant Bird of Paradise and there's the bog std orange ones. I went for the giant ones.

You can buy the plants online here

http://www.vanmeuwen.com/flowers/flower ... 4QodxSmNtA

[The Codfather]

the one I saw was 20 times bigger than that.....HUGE....Dark Blue\White flowers. its leaves were un real......

[musabasjoos]

Coddy its this one Strelitzia nicolai

[The Codfather]

thats it....but the lease were huge like nana leave and all the plants I saw were 15ft plus....

[musabasjoos]

thats it....but the lease were huge like nana leave and all the plants I saw were 15ft plus....

They do grow very large. I purchased a seeding last year and its up to 3ft already. I know there are members on here with large ones (Strelitzia nicolai).

[The Codfather]

I want one........what do you all do with them in the winter ?

[Scott Radford]

I want one........what do you all do with them in the winter ?

I have Sterelitzia reginae, juncea, nicolai and the rare alba, which I got from Amulree this year. It's one big plant this one is already some 6 feet tall, compared with juncea which is a mere 10 inches at present. It will be ok housed with the rest of the plants to keep them safe and sound at plus 8C minimum and ventilated to keep the mites at bay.

Otherwise if you have a conservatory they'll be ok in there. They will not survive outside anywhere in this country over winter - alba for example comes from south Africa

[The Codfather]

So is yours out in the summer ???? and how will you get it in the house when its 20ft

[Scott Radford]

That's the interesting question. basically I'll worry about it when it happens Nicolai and reginae are in my garden, juncea is in my greenhouse and alba is at my parents

At home if I bring it inside, it could just about squeeze up the gap at the side of the stairs where they turn to go across the landing towards the front of the house. I reckon that's about 16feet or so available that way. Otherwise it'll have to move it to work where there's a three story staircase for it to inhabit

[The Codfather]

where is it now ??? I have soursed one but its only about 8"....not sure if to get it or try and find a bigger one......they are not easy to find, espeacially up here.

[Scott Radford]

it's out in the garden at my parents, but up against the north facing rear wall as it hates wind and looks so loads of shallots with windtorn leaves like you see on them in the likes of the canary islands where they can grow nicolai outside all year

[Scott Radford]

where is it now ??? I have soursed one but its only about 8"....not sure if to get it or try and find a bigger one......they are not easy to find, espeacially up here.

see if Simon has one at Amulree I culdn't believe the size of the one he shipped to me

[The Codfather]

yeh, just come back from Ibiza........shurely they get some frost !!!!! so I take it your will be going indoors for winter ?