Matt's 9b field note
“Giant bird of paradise — one in the back, one in the front yard.”
Background
Strelitzia nicolai, the giant white bird of paradise, is native to the coastal forests and thickets of eastern South Africa (Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal), extending into Mozambique, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. It was named for Tsar Nicholas I, a 19th-century patron of botany. It is the largest of the five Strelitzia species and a banana relative (Strelitziaceae).
Distinguishing traits
Massive clumping evergreen perennial to 20-30 ft; erect palm-like trunks topped with huge banana-like paddle leaves (5-8 ft long) arranged in fans; leaves split naturally in wind. Mature plants produce spectacular white-and-dark-blue bird-shaped flowers in large boat-shaped bracts.
Desert care — zone 9b
- Chill hours
- n/a — ornamental
- Cold hardiness
- Zones 9b-11; survives brief periods at 28°F with minimal leaf burn and recovers quickly. Young plants need winter protection in Queen Creek.
- Heat tolerance
- Does best with some protection from the harshest Phoenix summer sun; a local Queen Creek nursery notes it needs shelter from both summer sun and winter cold.
- Water
- Average; regular deep watering during establishment, moderate once settled. Keep salty pool splash off the leaves.
- Soil
- Adaptable — clay, loam, or sand — if well-drained.
- Sun exposure
- Full sun to light shade.
Where to buy
- Desert Horizon Nursery (Queen Creek, AZ)