Double Bird-of-Paradise Flower

That's an old lady! I know how they can take over a space when they're mature and she's definitely mature!

Yes, it’s a very long-lived plant. This one is still a baby. I think their life span is at least 200 years.

Every fall I cut 100 to 150 leaves off this plant. Since it’s an old and established plant it grows back very fast.

That's what i have to do as the outer leaves and stems bend looking roughed up. I use the branch cutter like a hedge shears to make it fast work. I do the same thing with Aechmea caudata .That's one of the largest in height bromeliads and is sharp edged as it blocks a pathway after 20+ years. Delonix ,have you ever been to Dunsmuir house and gardens? I was a volunteer gardener and got one pup way back when. That place had a great Cactus and succulent garden that didn't really go with English cottage look of the rest of the acreage. A few years ago they donated the huge Golden barrel cactus,and the other c&s to the Ruth Bancroft Garden and I think UC Berkeley also.
Some kind of new age church had planted that hillside in the 70's.

That's a magnificent looking plant, Andy!

I have one I grew from seed in the kitchen. Last year it flowered for the first time which gave me hope that it would flower even better this year - but, no, not a single flower this year! :(

I love this photo ... tried adding it to my Favourites but not happening ... :o(

Balcony,

Thanks 🙏! I can’t imagine growing a bird of paradise plant from seed. It takes a very long time to bloom. One popped up in my front yard three years ago (from birds, I’m sure). I gave it away last year.

Are birds of paradise plants available for sale there? It’s a very common, cheap plant here for landscaping.

Shirley tulip,

Thanks 🙏! That’s very strange it won’t allow it as your favorite.

Delonix, I know, another thing GoY won't allow for me is to delete a plant from my Garden list. Oh well, things could be worse!

Andy, Bird of Paradise plants aren't very common over here but a few people do manage to keep them alive outside in their gardens all winter. But they take extra precautions to avoid them getting frosted. Though who knows in a few years time we may have frost free winters! The last few years frost has happened only a few times when it used to be almost a nightly thing from October to May! I used to go to school in London with lots of frosty days!

My Bird of Paradise took about 4 years till I saw the first (& only) flower (so far) last year!

Stan,

I don’t think I’ve been to The Dunsmuir House. I’ll have to check it out on my next trip north.

Balcony,

That’s great that there are some bird of paradise plants growing outside there. It’s a pretty hardy plant, but if it gets damaged from cold it could take many years to recover. Maybe that’s why it’s not too common there.

I guess four years isn’t too long. We’re spoiled here because it’s pretty much an overused landscape plant because of its extreme drought tolerance.

As I expected my plant to take perhaps several more years, if ever, to flower I treated it like a foliage plant that you don't expect to flower. So I was very happy & excited to see the first flower developing in December 2023! I was looking forward to seeing it produce at least 2 flowers this past December but none have appeared!:(

It still can bloom. Remember bird of paradise is a short day (photoperiodism) blooming plant. This is why it starts blooming in mid-to-late September here and blooms through April or May.

Thanks for the info Wylie! as we are coming up to the spring equinox & there is no sign of any buds forming I doubt very much it will flower now. :(