Strelitzia

Strelitzia plants: for tropical interiors

Known for its lush, robust appearance, the Strelitzia plant is popular in many households. The plant has large green leaves that naturally contain large cracks, bumps and brown patches. The Strelitzia is therefore a great choice to give your interior a touch of tropical elegance.

Where does the Bird of Paradise plant come from?

The Strelitzia, also known as Bird of Paradise plant, originated in South Africa. This plant naturally thrives here in tropical and subtropical regions.
A fun fact: the name ‘Strelitzia’ derives from Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of King George III of England. The Strelitzia was given this name in honour of her connection with the botanical world.

The flowers of the Strelitzia

The Strelitzia is a houseplant that can flower. However, this only happens to the Strelitzia Reginae species and not every plant will flower. Also, the Strelitzia will only flower when the plant is at least 8 years old. Even without flowers, the Strelitzia Reginae is a beautiful eye-catcher, but the flowers are certainly a nice reward for many years of good care. The flowers are bright orange and blue in colour and grow to about 20 cm tall.
Flowering of the Bird of Paradise plant takes place mainly in autumn. To promote flowering, it is advisable to put the Strelitzia in a cooler place in winter.

Is the Strelitzia poisonous?

The Strelitzia is toxic to both humans and pets when ingested. The sap from the stems contains toxins, including saponins and calcium oxalate crystals. These can cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea when ingested. It is therefore important to keep small children and pets at a safe distance from this plant.

What species of Strelitzia are there?

There are several varieties of the Strelitzia. For instance, we have the Strelitzia Nicolai, Strelitzia Augusta and the Strelitzia Reginae in our range. Whether you are looking for a small variant of 90 cm or a big eye-catcher, there is a perfect Strelitzia for everyone.

Strelitzia Nicolai

The Strelitzia Nicolai is one of the best-known varieties in our range. The Nicolai has several cuttings with bright green leaves. The plant is often beautifully full-bodied and gives a tropical vibe to any room. The large leaves of the Strelitzia Nicolai feature subtle cracks.

Strelitzia Augusta

The Strelitzia Augusta is the sturdy variant of the Strelitzia species. The Augusta often has one thick stem from which several leaves grow. The leaves have a striking green colour that naturally have large cracks and brown edges. This gives the Strelitzia Augusta its great, robust appearance that it is known for. The Augusta really brings the ‘Jungle Vibe’ into your home!

Strelitzia Reginae

The Strelitzia Reginae has a completely different look compared to its brothers Nicolai and Augusta. The leaves are narrow and pointed in shape. Each leaf grows from its own stem and this gives the Strelitzia Reginae a special appearance. The Reginae is also the only flowering Strelitzia in our range, but beware! As mentioned, not every Strelitzia Reginae will flower.

Taking care of the Bird of Paradise plant

The amazing Strelitzia needs some maintenance from time to time. The plant comes from a warm area and for that reason it also needs enough sunlight to stay beautiful and healthy. We would like to give you tips on how to care for the Strelitzia so that you can enjoy the plant for as long as possible.

The perfect location for the Strelitzia

The Strelitzia is a tropical houseplant that originally grows in a warm environment. So put it in the lightest possible spot in your home. The plant needs the sun's rays to stay beautiful and healthy. In addition, sunlight is good for the development of new leaves. The Strelitizia prefers a south-facing window. Just keep in mind that the plant is also thirstier on hot summer days when it gets a lot of sunlight!

Watering the Strelitzia

The soil of the Strelitzia should always be slightly moist. How much water you should give varies from plant to plant, as some plants process water faster than others.
On hot days, when the sun shines on the plant a lot, the Strelitzia will need more water than on cold and dark days. So take this into account.

A good tool for this is a moisture meter or water gauge. These keep a close eye on the humidity of the soil and indicate when it is time to water again.
Be careful, if the plant develops brown, curled-up leaves, this is often a sign of too little water. If there is too much water, the leaves will actually turn yellow. An excess of water is not conducive to the plant. Unfortunately, this can cause root rot and this is very difficult to reverse.

Repotting the Bird of Paradise plant

You can repot your Bird of Paradise plant when you notice that the roots have filled the entire pot or when the plant starts to hang over to the side. The plant then indicates that it would like more room to grow new, larger roots, which in turn ensures the further growth of your plant.
We have explained step-by-step how best to repot in our blog.

Pruning the Strelitzia

Pruning the Strelitzia is an important task to maintain the health of your plant. Always do this with sharp scissors or a sharp knife. Preferably do this with gloves. The sap released during pruning can be irritating to the skin.
The Strelitzia grows from the middle. This means that the lower leaves are the oldest leaves, which are also the first to turn ugly and die. You can cut these off as close to the stem as possible. The Strelitzia will then shed the stem itself.
Leaving old, dead leaves on the plant for too long can affect the general health of the Strelitzia. The dead branches take a lot of energy from the Strelitzia that the plant could actually use better for its healthy stems.

Feeding the Bird of Paradise plant

Feeding your Bird of Paradise plant is best done every month from March to September. In the winter months, you can reduce this to once every two months. The plant is dormant in winter, so it uses less nutrients.
For this, use special Strelitzia plant food or normal houseplant food.

What diseases can the Strelitzia get?

The Strelitzia can contract various diseases, mealybug being one of the most common pests on houseplants. It travels with the wind and clothes and is easily transmitted. The good news is that it is also very easy to control. You can simply wipe away the mealybugs with a wet cloth or touch them up with some spirit. Should this not work, you can always use a special pesticide.
For all pests, it is important to deal with them as soon as possible to avoid damaging the plant. Do you doubt the well-being of your plant or do you have a question about it? Feel free to contact us and we will help you to the best of our ability!

Buy a Bird of Paradise plant at Green Bubble

Are you looking for a beautiful Bird of Paradise plant? Then you've come to the right place at Green Bubble! At Green Bubble we work directly with growers so we can guarantee the freshness of our houseplants.
Would you like to choose your own Strelitzia? You can! Send an app to our Personal Plantshopper and receive photos of the available plants. We will send your bird of paradise plant directly to your home for free!
Ease of ordering and cool plants, that's what Green Bubble stands for. Want to buy a large Strelitzia? Join our Green Bubble!