Common name:
Bird of paradise flower

Origin:
South Africa

Minimum temperature:
5 degrees Celcius

Description:
A beautiful species to grow on the terrace, with overwhelmingly elegant orange flowers that can appear after a few years. The plant grows well in a tub, and reaches a height of about 1,5 meters. The plant doesn’t like too much water or wet feet, prefers a tight pot and can be hibernated at a minimum temperature of 5 degC. The leaves of the bird of paradise flower resemble banana leaves, but are less fragile.

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.

Sowing time:
Whole year

Level of difficulty:
Easy

Photo 2: Forest en Kim Starr (CCA-3.0 Wikipedia)