Strelitzia. One of the most tropical plants, with an exotic bloom.
My Bird of Paradise, Fall, 2012
Oh, wow! The greenhouse was a lot neater back then. Last winter I left out the Bird of Paradise thinking it would die. It came back from the roots. I really intended to buy a new one for the greenhouse. Local sources never had one.
I debated digging the survivor. It has two ratty leaves and two beautiful late ones. Considering the size pot required to bring it in, I elected to leave it out again.
Next spring I'll start a serious search for one. I would prefer Stretlitzia reginae, but will settle for S. nicholai with less spectacularly colored blooms.
Bird of Paradise, earlier Years
2009
Dug and potted in October 2011 after spending the winter of
2010 in the ground, returning from roots in Spring 2011.
By late November 2011 it unfurled a new leaf.
It's still alive and well, if cold doesn't kill it out in the garden this winter.
3 comments:
I would love to get a Strelitzia myself. I don't think I've ever seen one in the tropical houseplant section of any of our nurseries.
It is beautiful...your greenhouse looks amazing...I have a question...I'm sure I have asked before...but what is the material you used for the greenhouse? Plexiglass or fiberglass of some sort?
Alison, they usually have them in the section with bananas and palms and other things people use to landscape around a pool. Lately I haven't been seeing Strelitzias.
Janie, it's Polycarbonate, cheaper than Plexiglass and cuts with scissors yet is very strong.
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