Bird of Paradise - One of My Few Ornamentals

Dear Folks,

Isn't she gorgeous!

Taken today September 17, 2013, I do not have many ornamental-only plants in the garden because I want to concentrate on food-producing plants.

As with some of the other ornamental plants (like the Amaryllis bulb my dad gave me back in the early 1980's), this beautiful dwarf bird of paradise has a story.

By the way, the dwarf bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) has the prettiest flower, I think.  The giant bird of paradise has a blue/white flower and is not nearly as showy. The plant family is part of the a large family which includes ginger.

When I moved to Arizona I was taken with the possibilities of what could be grown here, but as I was in an apartment, I had no real room to try out some things.  On the other hand the office I worked in at the time had a large picture window in the front.  I happened across a package of bird of paradise seeds and thought I would try to grow them.  So I potted them up and one of the seeds germinated and took off.

This was in late 1976 or early 1977.  I then carried the plant around in one succeedingly larger container over the years keeping it inside or outside as the conditions of my home allowed.

I finally planted at our home about 8 or so years ago.  These plants need a certain number of leaves to produce enough energy to create this large flower.  It bloomed for the first time 3 years ago and we promptly had the first killing freeze in 20 years!!

The plant went to the ground but I was hopeful.  It came back, then got somewhat frozen again this past winter but did not go completely to the ground.

This and 2 other flower spikes which have not yet opened are only the second time it has bloomed for me in the 37 or so years I have trundled the poor thing around.  So I found her happy spot and hope to enjoy blooms in succeeding years.

. . .

Coming Up

Bye-Bye Buzzards Food Sample Fun at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum.

Free Seed Share at the Mesa Community Farmers Market

Ground to Table Class at Smiling Dog Landscaping.

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-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

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