Reggie

Bird of paradise

Strelitzia Reginae; Crane Flower

• 
  Bright light
• 
  Needs some love

• Reggie likes...
  • 
    Light watering

    In spring/summer, water him when the top two inches of soil are dry. In winter, let him dry out between waterings.

  • 
    Bright light

    He needs a lot of light to keep him happy, so no shady spots, please. Near a window but not in full sun is perfect.

  • 
    Humidity

    He comes from a moist environment, so keep him well misted. Spraying him every few days is ideal.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Strelitzia reginae

  Nickname

  Bird of paradise; Crane flower

  Plant type

  Perrenial

  Air purifying

  Yes

  Plant height (including pot)

  30-40cm

  Pet/baby safe

  Mildly toxic if consumed

  Nursery pot size

  12cm

• About bird of paradise

  No prizes for guessing how this plant got its popular name. Its flowers are gorgeous and from a distance look a bit like birds of paradise. Native to South Africa, it’s a real high-impact plant, with leaves that can grow up to 200cm long (in the wild it could grow almost four-metres tall). It’s so large that in the wild it’s pollinated not by insects but by birds. Sunbirds, to be exact.

  British weather conditions aren’t warm enough for it to live outside year-round, but it does very well as an indoor plant. As long as you treat it well you can expect to be rewarded with those impressive flowers in winter and spring once the plant is around 5 years old. Encourage flowering by using fertiliser once a month in spring and summer.

  Make sure you give it plenty of room to grow. This bird of paradise likes to spread its wings.

  Did you know?

  The bird of paradise plant is so revered in South Africa that it’s featured on the 50 cent coin.

  Please note, Reggie will arrive without flowers.