The Strelitzia nicolai flower is as huge as the plant is big. Unlike the cousin strelitzia reginae, the flower doesn't have bright colors. Also, unlike the reginae, the flower doesn't have it's own stem but just grows out of the side of the the leaf stalk.
These series of pictures show a double flower, each pointing in a different direction but clumpled together. I've collected seeds from last years flowers and will be trying to germinate them. It's easier just to slice off a clump of new growth at the base and plant it, but I like to try my hand at germinating seeds.
the colors
ReplyDeletetho not bright
are beautiful together
that gray bit looks almost silver
/t.
The previous Bird of Paradise you posted grows in Arizona, but they are few and far between. The ones I've seen growing are usually planted with a northern exposure to shield the plants from extended exposure to direct sun, but I have never seen the one you posted today. Is this plant native to Australia?
ReplyDeleteAZ, the Strelitzia nicolai is native to Africa. They seem to adapt very well to the Australian climate. The flowers you see in the photos weigh about 5 kilos each.
ReplyDeleteI had to enter 5 kilos in the conversion chart twice because I can't believe that flower is 11 pounds!
ReplyDelete