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Perennials, Tropicals > Strelitzia > Strelitzia nicolai > Strelitzia nicolai

Strelitzia nicolai


White Crane Flower, White Bird of Paradise, Giant Crane Flower, Giant Bird of Paradise




Origin:  Native to South Africa.
Family
Strelitziaceae
Genus
Strelitzia
Species
nicolai
Category
Perennials, Tropicals
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11
Canadian Hardiness Zone
Requires cold season protection under glass.
RHS Hardiness Zone
H1c-H3
Temperature (°C)
-6.7-10
Temperature (°F)
20-50
Height
9 m
Spread
3-4 m
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
Landscape
Used in a container, as a specimen, tropical or accent plant.
Cultivation
Can tolerate full sun or shade but prefers rich, acidic soil; does not tolerate overly wet soils.
Shape
Grows upright and in clumps.
Growth
Slow
Pests
Grasshoppers, mealybugs, aphids, snails, fig wax scale, false oleander scale, tobacco budworm, giant whitefly, red palm mite, rugose spiraling whitefly or saddleback caterpillar. If planted in overly wet soils it will experience root rot.
Habitat
Found in coastal dune vegetation and evergreen forests.
Bark/Stem Description
The plant is multi-stemmed, woody and smooth.
Leaf Description
The evergreen, banana-like leaves are alternately arranged, oval and dark green. They grow 1-3 m long with pinnate veins.
Flower Description
Flowers emerge one at a time from the spathe. They consist of three sepals and three petals, two of which join to form an arrow-like nectary.
Fruit Description
The capsules are triangular and contain black seeds with orange fuzz.
Colour Description
Flowers have white sepals and white to blue petals. Leaves are green. Seeds are black to brown in colour with a yellow aril.
Notable Specimens
Centennial Conservatory, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America.
Propagation
Propagated by seed or division. Germination takes 2-3 months. Division needs to be done in late spring to early summer.
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