Nicolau

Strelitzia nicolai

White Bird of Paradise; Wild Banana

• 
  Bright light
• 
  Easy care

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• Nicolau likes...

  • 

    Regular watering

    He likes his soil moist, particularly in the warm months. Give him a drink whenever his top two inches of soil are dry.

  • 

    Bright light

    He loves the sun. Loves it. Put him somewhere that will get him as much bright, indirect light as possible. He’s not made for shade.

  • 

    Humidity

    He really enjoys a moist environment, so mist him regularly to keep his leaves in tip-top condition.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Strelitzia nicolai

  Nickname

  Wild Banana; White Bird of Paradise

  Plant type

  Evergreen perennial, indoor

  Air purifying

  Yes

  Plant height (including pot)

  60-80cm; 90-100cm; 130-140cm; 160-170cm

  Pet/baby safe

  Mildly toxic if ingested 

  Nursery pot size

  19cm; 21cm; 35cm; 27cm

• About Wild bananas

  Before you get too excited, unfortunately you won't be able to grow bananas at home. Strelitzia nicolai is commonly called the Wild Banana plant because it looks very similar to the real deal. It's second most common name, the White Bird of Paradise is a safer bet because it more closely describes the enormous, exotic flowers that bloom on very mature Strelitzia in the wild. In our homes they're grown more for their impressive dark green and glossy paddle-shaped leaves. If you would like a flowering Bird of Paradise however, we'd recommend Nicolau’s cousin Reggie.

  In the wild Nicolau grows on the hot coasts of Africa and Mexico which tells us that he likes to bask in full sun. Wen growing him at home, position him somewhere that enjoys lots of natural light and is consistently nice and warm. With lots of bright light Nicolau will grow quickly, which takes a lot of energy, so keep him well watered, give him a regular glug of plant food throughout spring and summer, top up his nutrients with fresh compost and give him more room by repotting him every two-to-three years.

  If you REALLY want to up your plant parent game and give this magnificent plant the TLC it deserves, then get into the habit of regularly wiping down it's smooth leaves with a damp cloth. This removes any build up of dust so that it can absorb as much light energy as it needs. Even better, give the tops and undersides of it's leaves a regular spritz with bug control spray to prevent any pesky pests taking hold.

  Did you know? 

  It typically takes a Wild Banana plant up to six years before it grows it's first flower. No judgement here, some of us are just late bloomers.