Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and wonder if anyone can help? I was given the plant below and told it was a Bird of Paradise, it was in a sorry state and didnt resemble much. I have had it now nearly 4 years and I repotted it shortly after getting it so didnt expect it to flower. I'm now not sure it is a flowering plant. I am sure, however it is getting too big for my kitchen and gets very upset if I move it so I will need to find it a new home. I would love to know what it is and also the best way to take a cutting from it before it goes. The pictures below were taken nearly a year ago and it was recovering from being moved, it is now in better condition and much bigger. I posted to a gardeners forum looking to see if anyone could identifi it but no one could, the only suggestion was if it was a variation of a prayer plant, the leaves do curl a little but I have yet to find anything like it after months of searching on the net. As you can see the leaves are dark green with a purple underside, the stems gather in groups at the base and from some single stems will grow very tall and the top will split into a fan shape and a number of new leaves will come from this, at the moment I have 3 of these stems (not shown). If you need any more info or photos just let me know. To give an idea of the size it is pictured in a 1ft dia pot and currently the largest stem is over a meter in height. Any help would be great, thanks in advance.
Welcome to the forum. I don't think it is a strelitzia aka bird of paradise. Nicolai or GIANT BIRD OF PARADISE has very large leaves that resemble banana plants, has non descript white flowers and can get thirty feet high. The Reginae has blue green, very stiff, leathery leaves that look like they fold, but don't. It has spectacular flowers that look like tropical birds,and only gets three or four feet high. Hopefully, Steve Lucas "Photopro", who is the tropical plant guru will be able to give more help. ;))) barb
I have to go with Salt Cedar on this one. I can't see anythings that notes an internodes and that with the absence of an inflorescence tends to make be doubt it is an aroid. Steve
Certainly not. Bird of Paradise, genus Strelitzia, is in the order Zingiberales, family Strelitzaceae. 'Strelitzoid', maybe.
Wow, you guys and gals are good :) Thanks so much for the quick responses, and now searching the name I'm sure thats the one, does it have a common name? I've looked but cant find much info on how to take a small cutting, can anyone advise? Babs
Yeah, I guessed that. I didn't follow the line of comments properly and thought that the Bird of Paradise that was referenced was being referred to as an aroid. That confused me, but it was my mistake. Anyway, just ignore that and carry on.
Stromanthe sanguinea in in the family Marantaceae. Certainly not an aroid. We'll be gone for a full week to the IAS show in Miami. You guys have fun while we are gone. Better yet, come join us! Steve
