With her exotic appearance she conquers many hearts. The Strelitzia, which is also known as the parrot flower, presents unusual flowers in several colors and can be easily propagated with a little skill and background knowledge.
With a little patience, the Strelitzia can be propagated from seeds
Sowing: Preparation and patience are required
If you are considering the experiment of sowing seeds, you should know that it can take several months for the seeds to germinate. In addition, it should be considered that the plants grown need between 4 and 6 years until they flower for the first time…
The seeds, which are about the size of peas, are black in color and shiny. Often they are still surrounded by the orange hairs. You should remove these before sowing. Otherwise mold could form.
Start sowing
How to grow Strelitzia from seeds:
- Gently file seeds with a nail file or knife
- Soak in lukewarm water for 24 to 48 hours
- Fill pots with seed compost
- Sow seeds 2 to 3 cm deep
- press down the earth
- Moisten the substrate using a spray bottle
Germination occurs fastest at a temperature between 25 and 30 °C. You are therefore welcome to place the seed pots in the warm living room or at a warm window seat. From the moment the plants become visible, you should wait at least 2 months before fertilizing them for the first time!
Divide during repotting
Another method is the division of the Strelitzia. This is much faster than sowing and is often much more promising… Late spring - between March and April - is a suitable time for this. Ideally, the division is carried out in the course of repotting.
How to share:
- Take the Strelitzia out of the pot
- Remove the old substrate from the roots
- Divide in the middle: separate off the side shoot (roots + at least 3 leaves).
- use a knife or root saw to divide
- pay attention to straight cutting surfaces
- plant in a pot with nutrient-rich soil
tips
The freshly divided parrot flower should be placed in a place without direct sunlight for 5 weeks and should not be fertilized during this time. This is important so that it can develop its root system well.