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No flowers

Chrisp1Chrisp1 Posts: 39
in Problem solving
We've had this Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia Reginae) for at least 15 years and it has never flowered. We've had various advice of what to do to make it flower. From feed it with high potash to do not feed or water it and nothing. A few years ago we did a spike appear that looked different from the leaf ones. But nothing came of it.  
A one got any suggestions please. 


Posts

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    It needs a bigger pot,  you may have to smash that one to get it out.
    my mum grew mine from seed,  but it took a few years for it to flower,  even then it only threw up 2 flower stalks at a time.  It was always kept indoors,  I don’t like them so I put it out in the GH thinking it would die overwinter,  obviously tougher than I thought,  it’s doing ok out there. 

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    If you have a sheltered, sunny spot in your garden, place it outdoors over summer - lack of light is one of the main reasons they don't flower.  There's a lot of care advice on this link:  Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise): Care & Growing Tips (thespruce.com)
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • Arthur1Arthur1 Posts: 542
    I have 2 grown from seed collected in the Canaries.  They are happy, healthy and large, about 6 years old. No flowers but they are lovely foliage plants.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I was given an offcut of one of these last November and potted it up in a tall, narrow, square pot.    I kept it an unheated and uninsulated polytunnel all winter so it must have been well below its stated need for 10C+.  I watered infrequently and giave ita top dressing of tomato feed.

    I moved it to the front of the house - south facing - once night time temps got to 10C and it has produced 3 flower spikes so maybe a lack of feed is your issue.   They do need a lot of feeding and regular watering and also protection from sun in high summer so I shall be moving it to a less sunny spot now the flowers are over. 
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    The best Strelitzia I've ever seen growing was the focal point of a roundabout in S Spain.  A real beauty,
    I had one in my garden just a few miles away - grew well and flowered for 2 years and then just gave up.  
    Sometimes you just can't win.
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