My first bird of paradise bloom

Love it!
i've had the plant for a couple of years and patience does pay off! It's a Strelitzia reginae.
Barb

Congratulations, that's a beauty. I had my first one last year and now you can expect blooms yearly - more each year than the one before, or so I've heard. I've got 4 blooms open right now. Incredible plants - well worth the wait!!

That's great to hear.
I have another one that is supposedly the same kind, but it's leaves are longer. we'll see....
Barb

I've got one BOP that's stubborn, never boomed for my grandmother in 20+ years. So I'm trying my best to make it bloom - I'd love for her to see it bloom once in her lifetime. I was so happy my other one bloomed last year, right in time for her 83rd birthday.

If you want a challenge, try the (Giant) White BOP. I'm probably pushing my luck in central S.C., but I'm hoping I'll get a summer or late fall bloom from one of those guys in the coming years. Lord knows they're getting big enough.

I bought a white one in the spring from Costco of all places. I'm not expecting blooms for a while and it's already pretty big. Can't imagine what it'll look like when it finally does bloom!
Barb

I have the giant white BOP. 3 years now and now sign of bloom yet. I remain ever hopeful, tho. Darn things huge! :)

Congratulations, BB!!
Deb

I'm actually curious to know of anyone who's gotten a white BOP to bloom in a pot that wasn't outdoors all year long. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen one blooming that wasn't in the ground and established. Same with Travlers Palms, although the later makes more sense due to the fact they get huge so fast. No idea what to do with these things once they get to a certain size. Guess you could trim em back for winter? Seems hard to kill a White BOP once it's established - TPalms seem more sensitive.

Keonikale: I adore the look of Trav. Palms. Wish I was a zone warmer and had the right spot for one. :)

I'm just hoping that if kept relatively warm in the garage, with plenty of light, someday the white BOP may bloom.
Interesting thought about cutting them back. I'd be intersted to know if anyone has had a potted one bloom, too.
Deb

I just had a thought - maybe an insane experiment to try in a year or two. Two (maybe three) of my T-Palms are definitely going to be WAY too tall to fit inside within another year or two. One is already close now, and I honestly have no idea what to do when they get that big. I can probably squish the leaves against the ceiling one year - but after that I'm going to have to sell it or leave it out. Seeing as I doubt most folks are looking for 15' Travelers Palms in central S.C. I'm likely going to have to leave it outside. So my experiment idea would involve two things.

First, I know it's a Zone 9 plant (barely). Freeze-Pruf (http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/912969/) should give me an extra 2-9 degrees F, or about a zone or two in my favor. If I insulate the trunk of the T-Palm well enough, keep it fairly close to the house, and put freeze-pruf on the leaves - I may just get away with growing a Travelers Palm here (outdoors) at least for a year or so. Theoretically once it's large enough and well established I may be able to just protect the core of the plant and let the frost/freezes hit it - and it should come back in the spring.

I've got 14 of them so I'm willing to give it a shot unless I can find a buyer. I may have to try this as soon as next year.

K: I'd love to see a photo of your potted T-Palms?. :)

Sure thing, here's the largest one back in September. It grew two new leaves before going in for winter; the fungus tried to get it again (killed my big one last year). I have had a heck of a time fighting fungus in the roots of these plants; or at least all the ones I got from Puerto Rico. The plants from Florida (I purchased 10 babies in the spring) all are fine. They grow SO fast too. They went from 4" pots to 12" pots between April and October.

The pot below is 24" - height of plant is about 9'

This message was edited Dec 20, 2008 8:04 PM

Here's the same plant back in March, right as it came out of the garage. It was much much smaller then; fighting the same fugal desease that killed my largest one last year. It was sad watching it die, I had no idea what was wrong until it was too late. Once I figured out it was fungus, I was able to spray and kill the fungus, saving my last two from Puerto Rico.

Wow! Fast growing, indeed. Next Sept, your photos will look like this! LOL.
(Taken in the courtyard of a hotel at the Miami airport last year.)
Deb

LOL, I wish. When I live in Florida in a few more years, first thing I'm planting is a Travelers Palm! I told my wife we HAVE to live somewhere I can grow one.