Bird Of Paradise

Brrrrr, Its cold this morning. The cars outside have had frost on them. The first appearance of Jack Frost.

The Windows were covered in Condensation inside and frozen droplets outside. It was cold walking back from work last night. That chilly see your own breath kind of night.

The Photo is my Baby bird of paradise plant, the Strelitzia. It has grown on from the small plant I bought months ago.

It is a long term projects to see if I can induce it to flower eventually. I love the Curve of this leaf compared to the others, like a green wave. Its a South African native in the Southern and Eastern parts of the Cape Province and Northern Natal. It was introduced to England in 1773 by Sir Joseph Banks, and named after Queen Charlotte.

I love the name Bird of Paradise. Its Exotic, dreamy, fanciful. I saw some plants for sale with the flower before. On closing inspection the flower was made of coloured cloth material on a long cane. How bizarre to sell a living plant with a fake flower to show you what it looks like.

I remember having fake pink roses which looked real. The counterfit plants or flowers can look real. Its only when you touch the leaves or petals that you can feel they are not real.

I will photograph the Strelitzia if it ever flowers. I am going to a South African Barbeque tonight before the big game.

The Rugby World Cup final between England and South Africa.

Baby bird of Paradise plant

Tuesday Post

The bird of Paradise with its new leaf unfolding like a sailing ship.It has also got some vermiculite in its soil to stop its roots getting soggy.

I think once its grown bigger it will need a bigger pot.For the moment it is chilling on the bedroom windowsill.

The Brown leaf edges were like that when i bought it from the shop.

It looks healthy enough to me on this photo.

My baby bird of paradise plant...

Bird of Paradise

I have been tracking my blog on Statcounter, and a recurring question being typed is how to care for the Bird of Paradise plant in the UK.

I have done a quick search to find some general information about it..

It is native from South Africa. It likes well lit situations, with at least four hours of sunshine a day.

They flower better when they are rootbound, so usually planted in large pots.

The soil needs to be a mix of peat, and sand so they have a free draining soil. as they will rot if left in soggy soil.

Watering is when the soil is somewhat dry. Let it dry out between watering. They need a 10-10-10 fertiliser plant feed every week in the summer and when flowering.

Watering is the once a week with feeding during the summer (from March to November) , maybe every two weeks during Autumn, and hardly any for winter and spring.

It likes to be warm during the day, and cooler at night.In the mild UK parts it can be brought outside into the garden.

http://www.thewisegardener.com/Bird_of_Paradise.htm

I am growing mine on a south facing windowsill.I think it will have to grow all this year before it might flower next spring.

I loved this image of the plant from an American needlework company.I will give their website address here:

http://www.needlepointheaven.com/enlarge/9280-bird-paradise-DJ118.html

Bird of Paradise

Here is what caught my eye in the shop today whilst looking for a plant mister. The gorgeously named bird of paradise.In cold and damp Yorkshire on the first day after spring began any bit of paradise will do.

Plants do their best to put on showy, sweetly scented flowers to attract pollinators. The birds or bee's etc.

Companys who sell plants think the same way as the plants.Bright interesting packaging surrounding a small plant.

I was hooked and it jumped into the basket, and is now on the kitchen windowsill.

I read tonight it originated in South Africa, and was named in honour of Queen Charlotte. Queen Victorias grandmother.

Queen Charlotte loved Botany and helped set up The Botanic gardens at Kew.

This plant was cultivated in around 1773. Her birthplace was Mecklinburg-Strelitz, a duchy in northern Germany.

The Bird of paradise is called Strelitzia, in honour of her.

It has been cultivated all around the world now and is the flower of Los Angeles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strelitzia_Reginae

I have repotted it in the pot i photographed earlier.I will catalogue its hopeful growth and flowering.