Close-up of Strelitzia nicolai flowers on white background

Extra large Strelitzia nicolai plant in a nursery pot on white background

Small Strelitzia nicolai plant in a nursery pot on white background

Close-up of Strelitzia nicolai foliage on white background

Close-up of Strelitzia nicolai leaves on white background

Medium Strelitzia nicolai plant in a nursery pot on white background

Large Strelitzia nicolai plant in a nursery pot on white background

Strelitziaceae

Strelitzia nicolai

White Bird of Paradise

Strelitzia nicolai is a tall upright bird of paradise with large paddle-shaped grey-green leaves and a clumping growth habit. New shoots can emerge beside older growth and gradually create several upright stems.

Read full guide to Strelitzia nicolai

€19,75

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Choose a size

S Pot Ø 17 cm · approx. 55 cm tall M Pot Ø 21 cm · approx. 80 cm tall L Pot Ø 24 cm · approx. 90 cm tall XL Pot Ø 27 cm · approx. 130 cm tall

Variant

Sizes are approximate. Height is measured from the bottom of the pot to the top of the plant; diameter at the widest point.

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Care at a glance

Strelitzia nicolai

Light

Very bright / some direct • approx. 20,000–40,000 lux

Watering

Water when ~30–50% dry

Substrate

Aerated • Moisture-buffered • Balanced organic + mineral • Medium

Temperature

Ideal: 18–29 °C • Avoid below: 12 °C

Humidity

Elevated 50–60%

Growth habit

Upright arborescent perennial.

Support

not needed

Growth speed

Average

Cultivated size guide

Height: 300 cm • Spread: 200 cm

Origin & habitat

Native to southeastern Africa

Outdoor growing

Outside from 12 °C · sheltered spot

How to read these values

These care values give practical guidance for growing the plant. Adjust care for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.

For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.

Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.

Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
Growth speed: expected pace under suitable growing conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.

Cultivated size guide: approximate dimensions for an established plant in the stated growing context. Height is measured upwards from the growing surface; foliage height excludes flower stems. Trailing length follows a stem, while foliage drop is the vertical distance from the crown to the lowest leaf tips. Spread is the width of the leafy plant or crown, not an individual leaf. Flowering height includes the flower stems. A container guide applies to pot-grown plants; an in-ground guide applies to plants rooted in the ground. Size also depends on age, conditions, pot space and training.

These figures do not describe the size supplied and are not fixed upper limits.

Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.

Strelitzia nicolai

Strelitzia nicolai develops into a large, long-lived plant with a tall, wide crown of broad leaves above an upright base.

Mature form of Strelitzia nicolai

Large paddle leaves: Broad grey-green blades form a tall crown of foliage.
Natural leaf splits: Mature leaves commonly split along their veins as they expand and move.
Clumping stems: New shoots can emerge beside the main growth and gradually create several upright stems.
Stem-like columns: Overlapping leaf bases form thick upright supports as the plant ages.
White-and-blue flowers: Older plants can produce large white-and-blue bird-of-paradise flowers when conditions are suitable.

Origin & background

Natural range and habitat of Strelitzia nicolai

Strelitzia nicolai occurs naturally in southeastern Africa, extending from parts of Zimbabwe and Mozambique into eastern South Africa. Its habitats include coastal forest, river margins and sheltered thickets where moisture is regularly available.

In the wild it can grow in large groups and eventually develop tree-like proportions.

Plant care

Indoor care for Strelitzia nicolai

Light: Give it the brightest indoor position available. Established leaves can take several hours of sun after gradual adjustment.
Space and position: Leave plenty of room above and beside the crown as the plant grows. Turn the pot occasionally and use a heavy container for stability.
Temperature: Temperatures around 18–29 °C support active growth. Protect the plant from prolonged temperatures below 12 °C.
Humidity: Moderate to high humidity suits the broad leaves; aim for 50–60%.
Water: During active growth, water deeply once the compost surface begins to dry, then let the pot drain.
Slower growth: When growth slows, let more of the compost dry before watering again.
Potting mix: Use fertile peat-free loam mixed with grit or perlite so excess water drains freely.
Feeding: Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser regularly while new leaves are opening.
Leaf cleaning: Remove settled dust with a soft damp cloth.
Repotting: Repot after the roots fill the container or the pot becomes difficult to water evenly.
Propagation: Rooted shoots from the base can be separated from a mature plant.

Issues & solutions

Health concerns for Strelitzia nicolai

Leaf tips or margins turn brown: Watering may be inconsistent or humidity may be low. Keep watering steadier and raise humidity around the leaves.
Yellowing spreads while the compost remains wet: The compost has kept the roots wet for too long. Let the pot dry further, check that excess water can escape and inspect the roots if the plant keeps declining.
Fresh leaves are small, weak or lean strongly toward the window: The plant needs a brighter position. Increase light in stages and rotate the pot occasionally.
Webbing, pale speckles, cottony deposits or fixed bumps appear: Confirm spider mites, mealybugs or scale by examining both leaf surfaces and the folds of new growth. Isolate a confirmed infestation and gently remove accessible pests. If further treatment is needed, use only a locally authorised product for that pest on indoor ornamental plants, applying it to tender leaves only where the label expressly permits and observing the stated dose and repeat interval.

Safety

Strelitzia nicolai is toxic to people and pets

Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs, especially when it carries fruit or seeds.
Digestive irritants occur throughout the plant, with the fruit and seeds posing the greatest concern.
Swallowing plant material may cause nausea, vomiting, stomach pain or drowsiness. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if symptoms develop.

Names & etymology

Where does the name Strelitzia nicolai come from?

Strelitzia commemorates Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The epithet nicolai commemorates Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich the Elder.

Joseph Banks established the genus Strelitzia in 1788 in Icones Strelitziae Reginae.

Eduard August von Regel and Friedrich August Körnicke first described Strelitzia nicolai in 1858 in Gartenflora, volume 7, page 265.

Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.