Kitchen Garden Forum

Yesterday I bought a Bird of Paradise plant, name above. Can anyone give me any info on this plant as to which kind of soil it likes and bascially how it likes to live.

Bear in mind that we are in the South of France and although it still gets cold here at night at the moment it does not go below zero.

Any help would be most welcome, ta!!

Hi Jonzjob,
The plants name is Strelitzia Regina and you should have a search through Google.
JB.

I think that the French have either made a spelling mastike or they have a modified name for it which wouldn't surprise me

I'll have a look, ta.

Morning Jonzjob, if it will be growing in a container, a good loam based compost like John Innes No3 would be fine.
Water freely in the Summer and apply a balanced liquid feed monthly throughout the growng season.

If growing outside, grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade, but do shelter it from strong drying winds.

They also don't really appreciate going below 50 degrees F, 10 degrees C.

Thank you for the info OH. It will be staying in its pot, well a bit biigger than the one from the jardinerie. I am not sure what is in Mr Innes no3 and it isn't available here so we will probably mix up some 'onk-donk-plonk' ('oss muck) with some loamy based soil ad use that. I think that we have more here than the local jardinerie anyway! Big garden..

If you know that it's not the correct mix could you let me know please?

Just don't over do the 'onk-donk-plonk'.

I nicked this from a Google search:
There are three basic forms, cutting, seed and potting composts. The potting composts are then graded upwards to Nos 1, 2 and 3.
Essentially, the cutting and seed composts are to start growth up, depending whether the plant is raised from seed or as a cutting. Once the plant has roots, it is moved up to a No 1 and as it develops then to a No 2 and eventually a No 3.
A cutting compost is composed by bulk of one part loam, two parts peat and one part sand, at this stage fertiliser is not necessary.
The seed compost is by bulk composed of two parts loam, one part peat and one part sand. To each bushel, (eight gallons) of mixture is added 1½oz of superphosphate of lime and ¾oz of carbonate of lime.
The No 1 potting compost is composed by bulk, of seven parts loam, three parts peat and two parts sand. For every bushel is added 4oz John Innes Base Fertiliser and ¾ oz of carbonate of lime. A JI No 2 has the same bulk amount of loam, peat and sand but twice the amount of fertiliser (8oz of JI base and 1½oz of lime).
The No 3 again has the same ingredients but has 12oz of JI base and 2¼ oz of lime. The John Innes base fertiliser is composed of two parts Hoof and Horn Meal, two parts superphosphate of lime and one part sulphate of potash.
This is then mixed at the prescribed rates of 4, 8 & 12 oz accordingly. Should you wish to make an ericaceous compost then omit the carbonate of lime.
Misleadingly, superphosphate of lime does not actually contain any free lime, and is valueless to add to soils if you are trying to improve them because they are too acid. Ideally, the loam should be riddled through a half-inch mesh and sterilised. As a point of local interest, the original formulation was composed of Kettering loam because it had the right amount of clay, silt and sand together with natural fibre, and is free from lime.

Hi Jonzjob, just to say that I have grown a couple of Strelitzia over the last few years - some from seed (very long winded) and one from a garden centre plant.

Ours stayed in a conservatory until they got too big. We never paid too much attention to the soil (but maybe would have got better results if we had) and still ended up with plants over a metre high and bearing flowers. I suspect they're only really going to thrive if in big pots (12-16" for a mature plant) or outside in the soil, though they will need protection from any frosts you may get in mid-winter.

The flowers really are spectacular and seem to go through a lifecycle of different sets of buds opening over a period of several weeks on each flower head (or "birds" head in this case!). After 5 years I decided to pass them on, as they never produced more than one set of flowers per year and sometimes had a longer gap - good fun though! Keep us posted on how yours get on.

I grew one of these from seed years ago. I gave it away in the end. It never flowered and just got uglier and more brutish. It's definitely one of those plants that's best enjoyed in a public garden.

I wouldn't mind betting that in the south of France it will grow perfectly well outdoors, and will be better for being planted out in the open ground: Strelitizia's roots are thick and fleshy and difficult to contain. There's one growing outside just down the road from me, in south Devon, in a pot which has been stood out all winter for the last few years and only this year, with the snow, was it brought in. It'll certainly take a light frost.

Yes, I think the south of France should suit it perfectly. If you think it is too cold than give it a little protection. They are originally from South Africa which can have cold winters. If you keep it in a pot beware that the thick fleshy roots will soon fill the pot and can cause plastic pots to deform. They do like to be on the pot bound side.

Thanks for that Marken. I have been and had a look at where it will go just before it got dark. Near to my draseana (spelling?).

I think it will be there quite soon.