Strelitzia Caudata and Strelitzia Alba

[cagary]

My Strelitzia Caudata and S. Alba plants are about 3 feet high right now. I planted them from seed I germinated about 3 years ago here in south Orange County, CA. So far they look identical to S. nicolai. I'd post a photo, but you would just think they are S. nicolai.

Some botanists from South Africa kindly explained to me in an e-mail the characteristics that set these two apart from the other more common Strelitzia plants, but a photo would have made things a lot clearer. Its something about the size and shape of the leaves and flowers, but the bottom line is that the differences are enough that they two species deserve their own name.

Anyway, anyone else growing these? Are your plants large enough to see a difference between them and S. nicolai?

[Eric in Orlando]

we were given a S. alba this past spring, so far it looks similar to S. nicolai.

[Kailua_Krish]

Any updates on the Strelitzia caudata? I just became curious about this species as Ive heard its a few degrees more cold tolerant than nicolai.

[Kostas]

I have Strelitzia caudata seedlings, they did not mind a -1C event with some snow. But lets see if their ID proves correct, they are from the only supplier that has adult plants of this species from seeds sent by a local botanist living near their habitat. Mine are offspring of his plants and only very limited quantity of seeds becomes available so far, only for very few of his friends. A friend of mine is a friend of his

[Kailua_Krish]

Very nice Kostas! Should be interesting to compare them all in the future! Does it get cold enough in Athens for strelitzia to defoliate ever?

[Kostas]

In some parts of Athens, yes, in very bad years. But only Strelitzia reginae has been planted more widely, all others are pretty rarely seen here. S. nicolai has only relatively recently began getting here in some numbers and is still rarely seen, so i don't have much first hand cold hardiness information for that one either, its supposedly less hardy than reginae which is pretty much bulletproof even if it happens to defoliate, thanks to its underground rhizome.

I protected the caudata seedlings when we saw worse weather, too small and rare to test and they are for a warmer climate than Athens, my garden in Pyrgos. It got -3C this winter though and defoliated 70% of my garden there....Lets see how S. caudata fares when it reaches those temperatures again. Hope it will be a decade or two before it gets that cold again, but freezes have happened too often for my likings lately. Good thing is, i can grow it very fast in Pyrgos, so i may have it flowering and seeding in just a few years, its a very fast species!

[Kailua_Krish]

We grow strelitzia in North Florida as occasional dieback perennials so they shouldn't be a problem for you! Ive (and several people around here) had nicolai down to approx -7C. It will severely freeze back but if established they come back pretty well once it warms up in my experience.

[Kostas]

Wow, thats quite some cold for S. nicolai! Great to hear they pull through from that!

[Kailua_Krish]

Im sure if it happened every year they'd die but we only get such weather occasionally

[Kostas]

Melissia can also get such temperatures on very rare occasions, even had Cycas revoluta burn one year in the past. But Pyrgos max out at -4C once in 20years, the rest are much warmer

[Brian Bruning]

S. caudata is supposed to be hardy to 20-25F.  It is commonly known as the Mountain Bird of Paradise.  It is white and the normally dark blue petals are a pale blue.  Being from a higher altitude than others it doesn't require a lot of heat to grow.  Good for coastal CA and I'm up in the SF Bay Area.  If anyone has plants let me know.  On Ebay seeds are about $10 for 3.  Other vendors are out of stock.   

[Matthew92]

Cold hardy white bird of paradise would be great!

[cassowaryhill]

@Jdiaz31089 - MUCH Better for your climate than nicolai

[KiwiPalmGuy]

I would love to get some seeds for some Strelitzia Caudata, anybody know of any reliable sellers that will ship to NZ?