The giant white bird of paradise flower can reach a height of 10 meters in nature, and is therefore much bigger than the regular orange bird of paradise flower (S. reginae). The species produces white flowers with a light blue bract. The plant can also be grown in temperate climates: In a tub the plant reaches a maximum height of 3 meters, and is therefore suitable to grow indoors or on the terrace during summer. The minimum temperature of the species is 0 degC. The plant grows fast, and prefers a sunny stand. The beautiful leaves are arranged like a fan, similar to the travelers tree (R. madagascariensis).
Sowing description: Remove the orange fluff from the seeds to prevent fungal growth. Soak the seeds for 24-48 hours in lukewarm water and sow the seeds in sowing mix. Keep the soil constantly moist, cover with plastic foil/glass, and let the seeds germinate at a temperature of 25 degC. Germination may take a few weeks or months.
Photo 1: Eric in SF (CCA-3.0 Wikipedia)
Photo 2: Forest en Kim Starr (CCA-3.0 Wikipedia)
