Royal Strelitzia - a bright pet in the house

One of the most mysterious and amazing South African flowers finally got to the local gardeners and florists. The Royal Strelitzia has an exotic shape, similar to a humming bird. The flower was named, as is easy to guess, in honor of the real queen, namely the English ruler of Charlotte-Sophia, who in her nepotism bore the generic name Mecklenburg-Strelitz. How to grow such beauty in the home, whether the Royal Royal from the seeds and what care is required for the flower on the local cool windowsills and flower beds.

General information about the plant

In nature, evergreen and very large grass reaches a size of 2 m and above. Perennial plant, the royal strelitzia has large elongated oval leaves, which have long petioles. The veins on the flower often tear the green surface, creating the feeling that the bird is sitting in front of the spectator. The popular name of the African exotic is purely Russian - "flowers of heat-birds". This is not surprising, because royal strelitzia, the photo of which can be seen in this article, is really like the head of a strange creature. Most buds resemble a head and a tiny body of hummingbirds. The cut of this plant will stay in the vase for a very long time, sometimes up to one month, and will transfer rather short transportation.

Selecting a location, planting and watering

To the royal strelitzia felt good, you need to choose a bright, fairly sunny location. However, the plant does not like direct rays, for the summer season it can be put on a balcony or porch so that there is a constant supply of clean, fresh air. The minimum temperature that an African miracle can afford is plus 11-15 ° C. During a long flowering period, it should be warmer - up to 20 ° C, otherwise a wonderful royal strelitzia will drop the bud and remain an unassuming green stick. Watering the plant likes to be abundant enough, and in the summer season the land should always be moist. In winter, you can reduce the amount of moisture, but the soil should never dry out. For watering use only standing water at room temperature. To improve air quality, regular spraying can be carried out, the royal strelitzia takes pleasure in such "baths".

Necessary care and rapid reproduction

If the plant is grown outdoors, it is worthwhile to take care of regular watering and timely pruning. Gardeners recommend removing faded sheets and wilted flowers, in parallel forming a bush the right size and shape. You can place it anywhere, but it will be mandatory to apply fertilizers at least 3-4 times a month. Experienced growers prefer to use mineral and organic top dressing alternately. During the ripening of buds and seeds, you can not fertilize strelitzia in general. The plant is multiplied by dividing the existing stem and very rarely by seeds. For the second option you need to be ready to deal with the spraying of capricious flowers. In addition, shoots from the seed will bloom only in the fourth year, which is not suitable for every novice.