Enormous Bird Of Paradise (Strelitzia) Plant

Just been on holiday in Skegness for a week and whilst visiting Natureland we walked through the butterfly house and I noticed the biggest (by a mile!!!) bird of paradise plant I have ever seen, I was always lead to believe they grew to 6-8ft, but this monster was comfortably in excess of 12ft and had been cut back as it had hit the greenhouse roof!!!, the stems were some 8 to 10 inches across too at the base!!!, I believe it is Strelitzia nicolai which apparently can reach 20ft!!

It was a stunning white flowered form (possibly 'nicolai'), this flower was about 7ft off the ground!

Hard to get a true sense of its height in the photos!!

 

Yes they do get big Bilbo, dont they.
A bit out of my league

 

Although the blooms are not the best, it is one seriously impressive plant!

Bit of a tiddler then
Here's the one at OBG before its haircut....................

 

I've never seen a white flowered BOP ...love it

 

Buy one then

I believe that @Victoria has one...............

 

I just might do that...I really shouldn't read half of these posts

 

Excellent - another lamb to the slaughter

Seriously though, S.reginae seeds are easily found and it is worth the wait.

 

Taken in February, I am still hoping it may flower soon ...

 

Here are some in bloom in my friend's neighbour's garden. I took the photos from a first floor balcony ...

 

That's more like it!!
Do you know how long it took to reach that size?

 

Hi Keith ... as a guesstimate I would say ten years because I think that's how old the apartment complex is. The two trees are obviously planted in the ground.

I bought mine in February of 2007 and it was several years old then which is why I wait in anticipation ...

 

So it's a bit of a wait for it to flower then....

 

'Fraid so, Loli ... even the standard and miniature/dwarf varieties take years, about seven on average. I've got 5 blooms on my dwarf at the moment with a sixth thinking of waking up.

 

I bet it's beautiful Victoria...I really should be more patient but it's such a beauty I want to see it NOW....

 

Strelitzia nicolai grows a lot taller than S. reginae - there is a massive one in one of the glasshouses at Kew - IIRC it goes right up to the upstairs viewing gallery