On the way to St. Joseph’s College, there is a huge clump of bird of paradise (Stelitzia reginae) outside Nature’s Basket on Rhenius Street. They are also known as crane flowers, and are one of the most quirky of all exotic flowers. This native of South Africa derives its name from the unusual flowers, which resemble brightly coloured birds in flight. What is interesting is the leaves are bluish-green with a red midrib. The beautiful flower grows to a height of five feet.
“The plants can be strong and invasive,” says Christine Gonsalves who lives on Magrath Road, “I have to keep them in check or they will take over my terrace garden.” She had broken up a big clump to share among other grateful avid gardeners.
The thick, evergreen leaves resemble small banana leaves, attached to a long stalk. But the bird of paradise plants do not have trunks like the banana. Emerging from the green and pink boat-shaped bracts is the long-stemmed flower. The flower has petals of brilliant orange set off by its intense blue arrow-shaped tongue. The bloom remains fresh over time and so are much prized by florists.
Christine Pereira says, “They make great cut flower arrangements, they last for weeks in vases. The flowers need minimal care and trimming. They grow profusely in pots or in the ground and are available in dwarf as well as giant varieties depending on choice and space availability.”
The bird of paradise makes a very attractive ornamental specimen, as it has a three-foot spread. It requires full sun, and the plant does best when grown in rich, loamy soil with good drainage. The plants can be given fertilizer, such as wet waste compost. The success or failure of this plant usually depends on whether or not it receives adequate moisture.
Neela Gonsalves says, “I love to see the plant blooming and feel it thrives if you don't care for it too much. Mine survives in part shade but gets warm sunshine for a good five to six hours. It also has plenty of space to grow and is now more than two meters wide. To get best results remove old blooms when they wither and keep the surrounding soil free of weeds. The soil too needs to have good drainage. I water on hot summer days but otherwise the plant seems to be happy with the rainfall we get.”
Soggy soil with poor drainage and insufficient watering will cause its leaves to yellow, and the plant will eventually die. When growing Bird of Paradise, you should follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system.
Rosanne Motha Victoria whose family owned the Victoria Hotel in the city says, “ Only this morning I visited the nursery for advice on how to get mine flowering. I have had mine in the ground for ten years with no flowers yet. Any advice would be much appreciated.”
Rachna Sharma Sirtaj who has now moved to the UK says, “When I lived in Bangalore, I used to have them in the vases around the house, almost all the time. The brilliant orange/reddish hue against the dark green leaves is so appealing and the shape exotic. They last long and when arranged well, look fantastic.”
