Strelitzia Nicolai 10L

Strelitzia Nicolai, commonly known as the giant white bird of paradise or wild banana, is a species of banana-like plants with erect woody stems reaching a height of 6 m and the clumps formed can spread as far as 3.5 m.

Strelitzias are commonly known as the ‘Bird of Paradise’ plant and are distinguished by their showy flowers. The tree-like Strelitzia nicolai, or ‘Giant White Bird of Paradise’, differs from other Strelitzias in that it has a compound flower-head that usually has blue petals with white sepals and a dark blue purple sheath. This tree flowers throughout the year with a peak during spring and summer.

Growth is moderate until the roots have become established, after which the trees grow very fast, up to 12 m in height, under the right conditions. The Natal wild banana is evergreen and creates a lush, tropical effect in the garden. Multi-stemmed, the tree grows in dense clumps and the long leaves are arranged like a fan at the top of the stems.

The Strelitzia nicolai is fairly drought resistant. The tree grows well in semi-shade or sun and needs a moderate amount of water.

The Natal wild banana can be a wonderful specimen tree in a bigger garden, but can also be planted in pots in a smaller garden.