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Strelitzia
Bird of Paradise
Strelitzia is one of the most well known and popular flowers in the world. The exotic appearance of its flower as well as its shape, which resemble a bird of paradise, give it its nickname. It is also called crane flower, because of its shape. It is now planted in frost-free gardens all over the world.
The two main Strelitzia varieties are Strelitzia reginae and Strelitzia nicolai. Even though there are more varieties, we will only talk of the two mentioned, since they are the most common and the ones found in Cyprus.
Strelitzia reginae has the characteristic orange blue flower found in bouquets. But not only does it have unique flowers, it is also an attractive foliage plant. It offsets from the base, forming large clumps of large leathery leaves that can sometimes be over a meter tall. Its presence in the garden adds a tropic look that few plants can match.
It is an easy plant to grow. It grows fast and likes to be fertilized regularly, we would suggest once a month, with a slow release fertilizer. Its soft succulent roots will grow fast and look for moisture. It likes to be handsomely watered, especially during the warm months of the year. It can be planted in full sun or partial shade. If it is planted in full sun it will give the most flowers whereas if planted in the shade the flowers will be fewer but the foliage will look more attractive.
Where space is not available, Strelitzia reginae can be planted in a pot. Bear in mind of course that this is a fast growing, clumping plant with a thick vigorous root system that needs space, so, in order to keep your plant happy, choose a large pot that will give it enough space. The same principle of course applies when the plant is placed in the ground. Give it space to grow and clump, it will soon be a rich green shrub, hopefully covered in its gorgeous flowers.
Strelitzia nicolai is the giant Bird of Paradise. This plant can grow to almost 10 meters in height, forming huge clumps of stems, if left to do so. Its leaves are very large, banana like, leathery green, arranged in fans on the top. Its flower is much larger than the Strelitzia reginae´s, and it is white and blue.
It also likes to be fertilized and watered regularly. It grows very fast and can either be left to form clumps or the offsets can be removed so that a solitary trunk plant is formed. In either case, it makes a great landscaping plant. It can be planted in full sun or partial shade. It will look good in a pot as well, as long as it is given enough space for the root to develop.
Both types of Strelitzia are perfect plants for the swimming pool area since they are non – messy, low maintenance and they add an unparalleled tropical look.