Image credit - http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/
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The White Bird of Paradise -Strelitzia nicolai, is a very impressive banana-like plant with erect woody stems that can reach a height of 20 ft. Ideal for use as an architectural plant in open landscapes, the white bird of paradise forms clumps that do not spread much more than 12 ft in diameter.
Over time it will produce beautiful, white with purple bird-like blooms, but the large, exotic, sword-like foliage alone makes the White Bird of Paradise a superb container plant. In fact, it is an ideal specimen for the conservatory.
The White Bird of Paradise is restricted to evergreen coastal forest and thicket of eastern South Africa from the Great Fish River northwards to Richards Bay.
If given the right conditions, they will flower several times in a year once established.
How to grow the White Bird of Paradise
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The White Bird of Paradise is fairly tolerant of most soil conditions and will need little water once established making them ideal for drought tolerant conditions.prefers rich, moist soils with good drainage in full sun to part shade.
This stunning plant will even tolerate light frost!
While they will grow in poor conditions, they will positively thrive in a rich loamy soil, especially when they get plenty of water throughout the year.
They do well in full sun to semi-shade and respond well to regular feeding and a seasonal top dressing with a rich compost.
How to grow the White Bird of Paradise from seed
Unlike many flower and vegetable seeds which you can simply plant and grow, Bird of paradise seeds must undergo both stratification and scarification before they can be successfully germinated.
Stratification involves keeping the seeds in cold storage to bring them out of dormancy, and scarification refers to breaking the outer husk of the seed to help the juvenile shoots break through and grow.
The White Bird of Paradise will thrive outside in a Mediterranean environment, similar to USDA hardiness zones 9 through 11. If you live in a cooler climate then you can still grow them indoors as an exotic house plant.
Luckily, they can be sown at any time of year. To begin with, remove the orange tuft and soak the seeds in a bowl of lukewarm water for between 24 and 48 hours. Afterwards, drain the water away and wrap the seeds in a damp paper towel. Place the seeds in a re-sealable plastic bag and store them in your refrigerator for a couple of weeks.
Remove the seeds from the refrigerator and remove them from the paper towel. Sterilise a sharp knife or razor blade with rubbing alcohol, then use the blade to nick each seed. This technique - called scarification - will allow them to germinate.
Fill small planting pots or a planting tray with a mixture of equal parts moss peat and perlite. Press one seed into each pot or tray section to a depth of 1/2 an inch. Cover the seeds with some more of the compost mix and water until completely moist.
Place clear plastic planting tray covers on the trays. If you used pots, wrap each one with a clear plastic bag or cover the tops with plastic wrap. This helps retain moisture and heat, both of which are needed to get Bird of Paradise seeds to germinate. Place the trays or pots in a warm room with indirect sunlight.
Water the soil regularly to keep it moist while the plants are germinating. Transplant the seedlings to larger pots or to a permanent location outdoors after two to three months. If you transplant them outdoors, dig holes as large as the containers and space them about 2 to 3 feet apart. Fertilise the area with a slow release fertilise such as osmocote according to the instructions on the packaging.
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