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Hello. Does anyone know what BOP will stay small and bloom?
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Posted by meyermike_1micha 5 (mikerno_1@yahoo.com) on Mon, Jan 30, 12 at 15:51
I was looking on E-bay and it seems they have plenty to offer.
I am just not sure of which one is worth the time and investment.
Will these bloom for us up north? Is there one that stays on the smaller side that is destined to bloom within a reasonably short amount of time?
Is there a place one can buy one that for certain will bloom for a resaonable price?
Thanks so much:-0)
Mike |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Hello. Does anyone know what BOP will stay small and bloom?
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RE: Hello. Does anyone know what BOP will stay small and bloom?
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| Sheesh, I guess I thought I posted after review this am but I guess I forgot. Sorry:-( Bird Of Paradise:-) Mike |
RE: Hello. Does anyone know what BOP will stay small and bloom?
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| Bird of Paradise (BOP) is not a large plant. Most will stay less than a meter (three feet) high and not spread. |
RE: Hello. Does anyone know what BOP will stay small and bloom?
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| Hi Mike, The larger BOP is the white, which grow to be trees here in Florida. You want the orange,Strelitzia reginae. Just happens to be my favorite flower. Here they're readily available at Home Depot and everywhere else, but I'm guessing you're in southern VT,NH,maybe Maine? I lived in northern NH for several years. While I was there I was getting ready to put up a greenhouse as there were too many things, including BOP, that I wanted to grow that wouldn't do well up there. Even here the BOP blooms only half the year, May - Sept. or Oct. depending on conditions that year. they love the stifling hot, humid summers here and further south. They need this to bloom. So to get one blooming there you'll have to work a little. Maybe indoors with a grow light and a humidity tray of sorts. Or maybe outdoors in the summer only. Just be prepared to bring it inside. I had to dig mine up just before Christmas as we had a cold snap. They say the BOP is tolerant to about freezing but that doesn't mean they like it or will respond well afterward. I bring mine in whenever they say we're going to have a night in the low 40s or less. As far as buying one that will certainly bloom - that's tough. Even w/good stock the conditions have to be right. Here Home Depot sells them w/their blessed 1 year guarantee but I'm sure in zone 5 you'd be hard pressed to find one at H.D Where did you plan to cultivate the BOP, indoors or out? |
RE: Hello. Does anyone know what BOP will stay small and bloom?
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Hi Mike, I have a BOP/Strelitzia reginae which is around 3ft high now and it has flowered for several years here in the less than paradise-like UK. It's potted and lives in the g/h for the most part, venturing out during the so called English summer...whenever we get one of those. The g/h is heated to frost free temp and we are in the middle of blizzard conditions at the moment...brrrrrr. 2 of it's 3 growth points flowered this time, it having multiplied steadily during the past 10yrs or so from its original 1 tuft of 6inch high yellowing leaves. It was actually on the 'dead and dying trolley' in a large DIY store and cost almost nothing! They need to get to a certain size to bloom, mine was around the 3ft size and had probably 10 leaves when it first flowered.
Mike...Just make sure you don't get the Str. nicolai as you will have to move house with one of those 10m+ giants! Have seen them in Sydney Bot Gdns and they are HUGE! Str.juncea is also a manageble size, is more frost resistant than reginae but not as easily found probably.
Good luck with your quest.
Gill from a snowy UK. |
RE: Hello. Does anyone know what BOP will stay small and bloom?
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| Thank you everybody! I think I just may have one bloom for me very soon now. Many thanks. Mike |
RE: Hello. Does anyone know what BOP will stay small and bloom?
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| Hi there Mike, here's something that may help you decide whether you have a leaf or flower pod emerging....the new leaves appear adjacent to the previous leaf and you can clearly see the thick edge of the leaf margin almost spiralling round on itself. However, the flower spike grows from in between two older leaves and is more pointed, it has a thinner/straighter edge to it, where it splits open. Trust this makes sense...I know what I mean, but it's difficult to describe so below is a pic of my first flower spike. Hope this helps and I hope it IS a flower spike btw!!!
Gill from the UK. 
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