Bird of Paradise outdoors

Hi, I have searched the forums for BoP and didn't really get the answer, a few outdoors pictures but couldn't work it out if they were potted ot in the ground.

I was given a BoP 12 years ago, which I have in a pot. Took it out in spring bring back indoors in autumn. It has never flowered, and I am thinking maybe something needs to be done. It's in a 12in pot and the plant is about 24 inches tall.

I would like to put it in the ground in the back yard in a sunny spot. I read here can take frost. So advice I am asking is, and I live in Chessington. Saw a photo on here a bloke with a large one on the side of the greenhouse and I would love mine to grow and spread liekthat.

What are the chances I put it in the ground in a sunny spot that it will grow big, spread and flower? I was going to put a fleece blanket over it after the first frost.

Many thanks for any answers and time reading it.

Cheers

Ed

 

If it was me I would take it out of the pot to see if its potbound or not. If it is i would put it into a bigger pot with fresh free draining compost with some slow release feed added.

Not worth the risk putting it out permanantly imho. I had a large plant that stayed in the conservatory, fed with some tomato feed. Got too big and sold it.

 

did your's flower whilst it was in the pot Wee Tam?

 

Ours flowers every year. Where are you storing over winter ? Ours is in the tunnel at 3 degrees minimum. In very early spring the new flowers and leaves start to emerge before it is brought outside into a sunny position. At 12 years it should be flowering. Ours is in a 30" (ish) pot. I'd go with Wee Tams suggestion and put in a bigger pot.

Edit: It gets fed monthly(ish) in summer and kept fairly dry in winter.

 

I've got one planted in the garden next to my conservatory, its been there probably 15 yrs now.

I would only suggest planting in the garden if you are prepared to do a lot of winter protection, long term, believe me keeping those rare minus 6 and 7s away can be difficult.

I dont think they take much frost, without damage, but damage will put the plant back each year, so you end up with a plant that is surviving but not flourishing.

24 ins tall after 12 yrs does suggest its not happy, mines 6 ft now and flowers well every year.

Edit, it will need more than just fleece to get it through an average winter.

 

Hi @OzT ,

As @pete will probably remember mine is now 17 years old, around 5 ft high and over 30 leaves. Have I had any flowers ..... Naaaahh...

it goes in my unheated bedroom in the Winter ( with a window open ) kept just above freezing and then on a sunny windowsill in Spring through Autumn.
I do think yours very small for its age.

 

Hi, thanks all for your replies.

Well I took it out the pot yesterday, and it was not pot bound at all. In fact the roots have not got much furthur than a 6 inch ball. so, I had magde an excecutive decision I hope I will not regret . . ..

I have planted it in the ground. It is in a sunny place, with a wee bit of shelter on one side. Bedded it in wellwith compost and Jackson's magic powder. I expect it to grow about 5 foot and spread at least the same, in a few years. It was just surviving in the pot. Funny 12 years and never grew really. So I have, hopefully, set it free to spread its foliage

I will run a fleece frost blanket over it when winter gets here. Wil put a photo up alter when I get howe after work and here's to mor enews in spring about it growing!!

Thanks again guys!

 

Hi @OzT and welcome.

I would just like to point out that mine is in the ground, is more than 12 years since I bought it and was ??? old then and is still only a meter tall. I believe it is a Dwarf variety ...

Strelitzia Reginae Dwarf

Perhaps this is the one you have.

 

Oh no I hope that's not the case Victoria!! lol!!

But I am hoping going in the ground it'll do better and flower, have waited so long.

And to be fair, even just 24 hours in the ground, when I got home after work yesterday it sure looks a lot happier and vibriant, or it could just be me thinking that. But at the mo, it does seem happier. See if it flowers next year then. Going to do my bestest to keep it alive and fit thru the winter.

 

@pete how else besides fleece do you protect your plant please?

 

Don't worry! Mine blooms twice a year with 7 or 8 blooms each time and has for many years. I like it small leafed but has normal tall birds. I have a white/black S nicolai which I am still waiting to bloom. It is in a giant pot and a couple of meters tall. I am on clay and only occasionally feed with Epsom Salts, along with my dwarf Musa 'Cavendish' , also in a pot. The pot ones are in general compost.

 

I use a combination of a wooden frame work which I cover with blankets on frost nights.
I remove the blankets when ever possible, ie. whenever the temperature is above 0 degrees C.

I think you might be pushing it a bit to expect flowers in the next couple of years.