[yeshuas]

Wow that is beautiful. Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!! (-:

[SonicSpeed]

Nice!

I'd like to grow something as cool as that, but I'm not exactly in a tropical climate...

[Absolute-Zero]

That's a nice looking "Bird of Paradise", John! I'm guessing it's growing outside, what temperatures do you get where you are this time of year?

[kanaloa]

That's a nice looking "Bird of Paradise", John! I'm guessing it's growing outside, what temperatures do you get where you are this time of year?

It's actually in the garage with the rest of the jungle. We've been unseasonably cold this year getting down to 19F (-7C) already. We're having a two day warm spell (60'sF) but it'll drop to below freezing again for lows this coming weekend.

I have about 80 bananas in there, so I'm fighting the aphids and spider mites more than ever this year. I'm going to try some diatomaceous earth this weekend though and see if that works - just heard it's a great way to rid your plants of pests when used in foliar sprays.

[Absolute-Zero]

Sounds like you get similar sort of conditions to here (possibly a bit colder, in fact). I've been looking at getting a bird of paradise myself but wasn't sure how it'd take to the conditions. I'm guessing if I keep it in a pot then I can move it to the greenhouse over the winter period.

[kanaloa]

Yep, it'll take a few years - mine I about gave up on honestly. And I have another that's never bloomed. Birds like to have very tropical and well draining soil, LOTS of sun from April-September, and to be a little rootbound (if you divide one, it'll be at least 2-3 years before new blooms). I just sat mine out in it's pot last summer in the back yard, watered it when I remembered and last August I noticed these new "weird" leaves coming out. Turns out they weren't leaves, LOL. I noticed them again in September this year, even more of them. It should bloom through the spring - it was still blooming (3 stalks) last March when I was able to take things out.

Now if I can only get my giant White Bird to flower. Those grow like weeds in Grahams part of the world - probably are blooming right now actually. I have a few of them, two of which are getting extremely large - over 9' tall. I'm hoping I *might* get a flower next summer.

[Absolute-Zero]

Cool! Thanks, John. I'll have a look into getting one in the spring.