Banana Leaf Plant - Strelitzia Nicolai Plant

The wild banana, or giant white bird of paradise, is a type of banana-like plant with upright woody stems commonly known as

to 7-8 meters. Its height reaches

 

to bright indirect light. These plants can grow very large and require a lot of light to thrive. They also require a lot of light to flower indoors, which rarely happens! We suggest finding a setup that provides at least 6-8 hours of indirect sunlight every day. It is possible for banana leaves to survive in low light, but they will produce smaller leaves and will not grow as quickly. You can grow your bird of paradise outdoors, but remember to acclimatize it by placing it in the shade for two weeks before moving it into full sunlight!

the top layer of soil to dry out before watering, and when you do water, saturate the soil until excess water drains through the grow pot. Since this houseplant requires a lot of bright light, this can cause the soil to dry out more quickly, so be prepared to water the plant frequently. Reduce the frequency of watering the bird of paradise during the fall and winter months.

between 18 - 29 degrees Celsius is good for the plant. As a tropical plant, the bird of paradise does not like to be cold, so if you bring the plant outside during the warmer months, bring it back inside before night temperatures drop below 5 degrees Celsius at night.

Strelitzia nicolai lives in average humidity, but extra humidity will help this plant thrive. Place the bird of paradise in a naturally humid area, or use a humidifier or pebble tray with water to create the ideal environment. Learn how to increase humidity for your houseplants!

Fertilizer

using a diluted complete liquid fertilizer every two weeks during the growing season. Alternatively, you can top-dress the soil with a 1-inch layer of organic compost. Scratch the compost into the top layer of soil and then water it thoroughly! The bird of paradise can grow fairly quickly, and providing extra nutrients can help the plant and reach its full potential.

Growth Rate

The bird of paradise is a fast-growing houseplant that can grow taller than the ceiling! Expect it to grow at a rate of 2+ annually in the correct position