You can't get enough of your Strelitzia? We'll show you three different ways you can grow them.
Birds of paradise are particularly impressive in swarms. This is also true of the bird of paradise flower commonly known as Strelitzia. A single plant is a real eye-catcher, while a whole swarm is a real highlight in the garden. In order to get such a "swarm" in the garden, you don't have to go to the garden store and buy new plants. You can also multiply the Strelitzia. You have several options for this. On the one hand the plant can be propagated by division and on the other hand by seeds.
Dividing and multiplying Strelitzia
Divide sprouts:
An easy way to multiply the Strelitzia is in spring. Now you can divide the plant quite well and replant it again. Basically, the Strelitzia independently forms young plants, which reveal themselves as sprout and already have their own root section.
You should not cut off the young plant too early. A good time is when the young plant already has three leaves. It is important that you do not damage the roots of the Strelitzia. If you break off individual parts or cut the roots, you weaken the mother plant. It is best to proceed as follows when dividing:
- Carefully remove the plant from the pot.
- Rinse the substrate to see the roots.
- Detach a sprout with roots.
- Replant the original plant.
- Plant the young plant in its own pot.
Although strelitzias are very hungry for the sun, you should not expose the young plant to direct sunlight right away. A very bright, but rather shady place is best for about five weeks. Sun exposure can cause the plant to dry out. A good plant substrate is compost, which you do not need to fertilize. Also, water your young plant infrequently and wait until the soil is dry before watering.
You can plant the young plant after about five weeksplace in a larger planter and treat like the mother plant. Sunlight, warmth or even setting it up on the terrace in summer are no longer a problem.
Split root ball:
If your Strelitzia does not have any offspring, you can also divide the root ball. To do this, cut it in half and put a root aid on both halves. Since both halves of the root remain open after potting, the soil must neither dry out nor be too moist in the next few weeks. You can recognize a successful division when both parts of the plant form new leaves.
Propagation by seeds
You can also use seeds to propagate Strelitzia. You can obtain suitable seeds from existing plants or, for example, in specialist shops or on the Internet (for example here). In contrast to the methods mentioned above, there is no damage to existing Strelitzia. However, this method requires a lot of patience. Because it takes up to six years for the bird of paradise flower to flower for the first time. If you still want to try to propagate your Strelitzia from the seeds, you must first prepare the seeds:
1. Remove Hairs
Remove the orange hairs clinging to the seeds in clumps. You can use a knife to do this, or you can twist them off carefully.
2. File seeds
In order for the germ to appear more quickly, the seeds can be filed until the white interior is visible. You can use a nail file or roughen the seed with your fingernail or knife.<
3. Pre-swell seeds
Place the filed seeds in a glass of lukewarm water (25 - 28°) to swell. Here they remain for 24 to 48 hours. During this time, they soak up water.
Put the pre-treated seeds in a seed tray with moist potting soil and cover it with the soil. Put the peel in a warm and bright place and keep it constantly moist.
Tip: It helps if you create a greenhouse effect using a piece of clear cling film. However, lift the cling film for a while every day so that the air can exchange. Otherwise, mold will form quickly.
It takes several weeks for germination. So don't worry if after three weeks nothing has changed and you don't see any seedlings. If the seedlings are visible, you have to be patient againto prove. Planting as a young plant only works when enough roots and first leaves have formed. If you have waited this time, treat the sown Strelitzia like an ordinary young plant. Reading tip: Caring for Strelitzia - That's what matters.