My Giant BOP Bloomed!!

I planted several Giant BOP for privacy 2 years ago. While they've grown really well & are over 8' tall, I really didn't expect any blooms for several years. This morning, I was in the garden doing other things, when I noticed something white near the bottom of the giant BOPs. To my surprised, it was a blossom! It must have been there for several days since there were several brown pieces. The reason I didn't notice it before was that it's really close to the bottom - only about 2' from the ground. Then I found another one - also close to the ground & further back.

It's not as beautiful a flower as the orange BOP. In fact, it's rather messy looking. But it is really BIG. There are are 4 blooms coming out of 1 stalk. Here's the full picture. You can see the bloom right above the rock.
Jo-Ann

Here's a close up of one of the blossoms.

And here's one of the blossoms I cut off. I wanted to put it in a vase inside, but it's so very heavy, almost 2 pounds, that I don't have anything heavy enough to hold it up.

Congratulations! Mine finally bloomed last year & really produces a lot now.

terichris, Did yours get taller? Mine are so short, they're hidden among all the leave.

No, my blooms have always been low like yours. The blooms are so big I can't even trim them after they die.

How cold does it get in the winter where these grow? I JUST purchased one and I'm in zone 7, didn't know if it would be better in a pot or if it could go outside for the summer and dig it back for the winter or what? I heard after I got it, it will get real tall. Mine is 3-4 ft tall now. How old does it have to be to bloom? I need info. Mekos

Congradulations!
Great looking blooms. !

I've been waiting for mine to bloom for quite a few years now.. After some perplexing differences in my plant to the Giant white birds I was expecting and use to seeing, finally figured out that the one I have is Strelitzia caudata , a South African variety, banana like leaves that ..well droop like bananas. still waiting! on ladders...checking...

Here's what mine looked like when I planted them in May, 2007, so mine have been in the ground for 2 years. The first year, the growth was pretty slow, but the 2nd year, they really took off.

I'm in Zone 9a & the coldest it got this past winter was the low 20's for 2 or 3 nights. These are totally unprotected. There were a few freeze-burned leaves, but for the most part they were just fine. The 1st & 2nd year, they received heavy doses of high nitrogen fertilizer. I think I used some citrus fertilizer, and alternated with fish emulsion. So far this year, they've received some citrus fertilizer and nothing else. The reason I use this is that I happen to have it around the house & it's very high nitrogen.
Jo-Ann

Meksos- check out bwilliams's threads. He is from Louisville, KY. Great article about growing tropicals. He composts them & cuts them back. Huge successes. If you don't find what you are looking for let me know.

This is what mine looked like in 2005..
Ike nailed it, and I had to move it..can't believe how tall it is...It still is looking rough, although much better...this is the before location.

after Ike

and now (taken in march)

Where do I go to check out bwilliam's threads? I'm new at this. Just stumbled on and can find it again sometimes. Mekos

I second that!

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/828480/
Check this out. Brian is amazing. He also has some cool hydroponic ideas for tropicals.
Good luck. Ask him questions if you have them. He is very kind about giving help.

Nice. This is Strelitzia nicolai, and at least down here in Florida, the flowers will exude a thick and sticky liquid that stains pavement. It also attracts the little tiny ants that get in the kitchen and make my wife crazy! I find this plant to be a heavy feeder- heavy as bananas. Really.

And I don't think it will do well in Zone 7, but not sure. I've had damage to mine at 38° here in Naples.

The blooms are not self-heading, either, but they sure are nice.

Michael

I forgot about the ants! Our entire neighborhood is planted with them right up next to the house. Brilliant. I moved one last year and keep the other trimmed well.
Michael - finally rain! We spoke last year about the caterpillars eating the bougainvilla. I still haven't been able to get rid of them. Did you have any luck?

hmm..what do you mean about the blooms not self heading....not familiar with that? I ask because something is emerging on the side, but dang..it's slowed to a stop.

jomoncon, that is so pretty and BIG! I don't think it will grow in my zone. Anyone in zone 8a growing those white BOP? Do they produce seeds?

I'm in zone 7 and trying. This is my first one and I'm going to try to winterize it with compost pile this winter and see how it does. Mekos

oh good. I'm curious to know how it will do in your zone with heavy mulching.