Strelitzia reginae (Bird of paradise)

how's your bud coming on Meanie, that must be doing well...

what a beauty and a fabulous photo!

About half a metre high, fattening up and getting a little colour too Surreylad! Best of all, I think no.2 is trying to poke through!

Thanks Sticki - not long until I have one of my own!!!

lucky you! its a fantastic thing ~ is it a bird, is it a plane??

sounds excellent...

It's just perfect Sticki!

I'm not sure 100% yet SL, but the way that the foliage is moving offline is the same way as my first one started.

its like a celebration all in one, i love those sleek lines and the firebird colours!

It will be a celebration when it blooms - seven years from seed!

seven years?????

isnt that a film title??

Got me on that one!!

Seven Years In Tibet?

thats the one. have you been growing it for 7 years?

There's nothing common about that ,it's exquisite !

Yup - seven years Sticki!

Thanks Amy!

Well you deserve a celebration then, for perserverance!

It's about average Sticki!

Just cut my last bloom off Meanie.....7 blooms in total, For its 1st flowering season it did well on Tomato feed...

Tomato feed it is then Milky! How often?

Every week Meanie...........Mine has flowered overwinter in the greenhouse so its been fedd all year.........obviously not soaking it like I do in the summer, but keeping it moist...........

Thanks Milky!

i have a garden full of these whats the big fuss lol

wow how stunning is it beautiful plant Meanie :)))

i want one :))))

Get yerself some seeds Mark and wait seven years!!!!!
My seed grown plant is very close to its first bloom!

Stunning i love it well done im so impressed :)

I wish that this one was mine Mark - it's huge!

Hi Meanie i read it wrong sorry thought it was yours.I bet you do wish it was yours as i wish it was mine.Its gorgeous:))))

Mark - I reckon that I'm three to four weeks away from showing mine off.

We look forward to seeing it .Will keep a look out for it :))))))

I also thought this was yours Meanie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wish it was Tommymoo - mine is painfully slow!! The flower bud is as high as the leaves now.

Oh.. I remember yours started to produce the flower stalk earlier than mine! Talk about frustrating!

Tommymoo - I've only waited seven years, so what's a few extra months!

Positive thinking, Meanie! I admire your attitude - I'm totally the opposite.. I was depressed (even p****d off and threw stones to the field once or twice lol) when I saw dead cordylines, cannas etc etc. I'm terrible :0)

Lordy!!
I've waited five years for my Hippeastrum cybister to rebloom! Didn't realise that it was a cool growing one!

5 years to see your Hippopotamus!? - Joking; it sounds similar lol I googled it - it's gorgeous and definitely worth a wait. What a patient gardener you are!!!

It's the only time that I am patient!
H.cybister is a bit of a gem. The variety is "Chicko", and the only time that it bloomed for me it was rather special which is why I've stuck at it!

Oh I see. The flower stalk was 40 cm tall last month, according to your comment on "Chicko." How is it doing now? Nealy time to bloom???

69cm - just measured it!!

Ooohhh, it's grown a lot in a short period!
Can you see a sign of flower?