Strelitzia Care Guide & Species Spotlight - Bird of Paradise - Crane Plant

Grab your own Strelitzia here: https://geni.us/Strelitzia First introduced into Britain from South Africa in the year 1773. The genus was named by English Botanist Sir Joseph Banks in honor of Queen Charlotte Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz the wife of King George III - that dude that America revolutionized against in 1776. Strelitzia is well known for its large sumptuous green leaves similar to that of the banana plant but with longer petioles. It’s often referred to as the Bird of Paradise due to its distinctive tropical flowers resembling the Australasia native bird of the same name. Care Guide Light: Strelitzia will need a bright sunny spot in order to grow well, if kept in lower light areas growth will slow and flowers are unlikely. This plant can be kept outside in the summer months if protected from harsh direct sun. Watering, in the growing season water well, the big leaves will dry out quickly in hot temperatures so keep checking the soil for moisture levels. In the winter slow the watering right back, and keep it on the dryer side. Food: Fertilise weekly in the growing season from spring to autumn, and stop feeding over winter. Flowers can take three to four years to appear on a young plant and the roots need to be somewhat restricted in order to produce flowers so it will benefit from being a little pot-bound. If you regularly repot this plant you will disrupt the flowering cycle. These leaves grow big! So if it reaches the maximum size for your living space do not repot, this will help restrict growth, if you keep giving it a bigger pot it will just keep getting bigger!