Dividing a Strelitzia nicolai....

[AS in SA]

I recently (3-4 months ago) purchased a triple planted Strelitzia nicolai - I believe it's a 15 gallon size - 5 or so ft. tall (6 or so including the pot).  The three plants are aranged in the form of a triangle in the pot and appear to have been separately planted - not suckers of one another.  Can these be split up??  I'm not sure on the sensitivity of the root systems on these.  I know banana roots/corms can be seriously abused and recover nicely, but not sure on strelitzia.

Thanks,

AS in SA

Santa Ana, CA

[Robert]

POP IT OUT OF THE CONTAINER AND LAY IT DOWN. THE EASIEST WAY TO SEPARATE IS TO USE A MACHETE AND CAREFULLY DIVIDE THE PLANTS.DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT CUTTING ROOTS,AS THEY WILL REGENERATE FAIRLY RAPIDLY IF YOU SEPARATE IN SPRING OR SUMMER, BE SURE NOT TO OVER WATER AND DO TRIM BACK SOME LEAVES AT LEAST 1/3RD.TO MINIMIZE TRANSPIRATION.GOOD LUCK...

[BigFrond]

There should be no problem. These guys will get pretty big. If you plant it near a fence(1-3 feet), you can say goodbye to the fence in a few years.