Large-scale foliage
Broad blades and long petioles create shadow, movement and the immediate impression of a tropical canopy.
Strelitzia nicolai 19cm
Normal price
€35,00
What does the legal guarantee mean for plants?
The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Strelitzia nicolai
- Large glossy leaves
- Multi-stemmed development
- Evergreen tropical fan
- For a generous container
Strelitzia nicolai is a living architectural element: large glossy leaves open high above the base and create the feeling of a small tropical canopy. Clean proportions, deep green surfaces and the natural movement of the blades give substance even to a minimal setting. Over time the single fan gains fresh shoots and develops into a commanding multi-stemmed composition.
A simple heavy container and a bright background are enough for it to work as a central piece of living greenery. The leaf shadows add depth while the upright base keeps the result orderly.
What makes it special
Its strength lies in large-scale foliage, fan geometry and gradual development into a multi-stemmed form.
A fan with a future
Each shoot arranges its leaves in two ranks, building a clean upright form that becomes more impressive over time.
Multi-stemmed character
Fresh shoots emerge from the underground rhizome and add successive layers without losing the structure of the original fan.
Why you will love it: It delivers an immediate jungle effect with the poise and clarity of a considered architectural object.
In the garden & on the balcony Placement & plant combinations Large leaves in a bright, sheltered composition with room to develop freely.
Ideal position
Use it as the dominant plant on a generous sheltered terrace, away from busy paths and with ample visual space around the large leaves.
Compatible combinations
Build around deep greens, burgundy and white, keeping every companion in a separate pot. The common ground is warmth, bright partial shade or gentle sun, and a mix that holds moisture without becoming waterlogged.
- Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum — deeply lobed leaves provide a rich contrast of shape in a sheltered, very bright tropical composition
- Canna ‘Durban’ — warm bronze and pink veining links the green foliage to a bolder summer palette
- Asparagus densiflorus ‘Myersii’ — fine upright plumes fill the base without hiding the large silhouette, in a separate freely drained pot
Care at a glance
Light
A very bright position with morning or filtered direct sun after acclimatisation.
Watering
Water when the top 4–5cm has dried, allowing all surplus to drain away.
Climate & hardiness
Frost tender and sensitive to cold wind; overwinter safely in bright conditions above about 10°C.
Safety
Not intended for consumption; keep away from children and animals that chew plants.
Detailed careComplete care guidePot stability, light, watering rhythm, feeding, foliage and winter movement.
Bright position
Place the pot where the plant sees plenty of open sky and receives gentle morning sun. Insufficient light stretches the petioles excessively.
A heavy container
Use a stable pot with several clear drainage holes. The large leaf surface acts like a sail in wind, so safety begins at the base.
Water deeply
When the top 4–5cm has dried, water until it exits below and empty the outer pot. Do not water again while the mix still feels heavy and cold.
Rich aerated mix
Combine organic structure with coarse mineral material so the mix retains sufficient moisture while remaining oxygenated around the rootball.
Feeding & foliage
Feed moderately during warm active growth. Remove dust and only fully dead leaves, without disturbing the central rolled leaf.
Moving indoors
Before nights approach 10°C, inspect for pests and move the pot to very bright shelter. Reduce water in step with slower growth.
Development over timeFrom a young fan to a commanding multi-stemmed formEvery fresh shoot adds height, spread and another layer to the tropical architecture.
Single fan
The first shoot organises successive large leaves into two opposing ranks.
Rhizome branching
The underground rhizome creates side shoots that form fresh parallel fans.
Tree-like maturity
In warm open ground the bases elongate and become trunk-like; container culture keeps the form far smaller.
Mature form & size
Many yearsHeight 8–12mSpread 4–8mMulti-stemmed fan
Separate stems carry fans of broad blades on long petioles. They eventually form a tall clump requiring open space around the foliage.
Form through time
Movable containerEvergreenRhizomatous shootsWhite and blue flowers at maturity
Flowering in suitable conditionsSeparate stems carry fans of broad blades on long petioles. They eventually form a tall clump requiring open space around the foliage.
Protected winter habitFoliage remains under suitable conditions. Slower growth and reduced flowering change the display without removing the basic architecture.
The studies show habit and seasonal development; growth varies with age, climate and cultivation.
What to expect after planting: In a pot it first invests in roots and fresh leaves. Side shoots appear later, while flowers should be expected only from a very large mature plant in exceptional conditions.
History & origin Species history & origin From the coastal forests of south-eastern Africa to an imperial dedication in 1858.
Strelitzia nicolai is native to south-eastern Africa, ranging from eastern Zimbabwe and eastern Botswana to Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal. In the region’s moist coastal forest and thicket it forms rhizomatous colonies and the large tree-like silhouette that later made it an important ornamental plant.
In 1858 Eduard August von Regel and Friedrich August Körnicke described it in Gartenflora, volume 7, page 265. They dedicated it to Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, high patron of the Russian Horticultural Society in St Petersburg. The name nicolai therefore preserves a specific episode in nineteenth-century botanical life, when a southern African plant flowered and was recognised as a new species in the imperial gardens.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScience nobody asked forBotanical details for anyone curious about what lies behind the plant’s appearance
Bilirubin in the orange arils
In 2009 the orange seed arils of S. nicolai provided the first documented example of bilirubin in a higher plant. Here this tetrapyrrole acts as a conspicuous pigment rather than as an animal product of haem breakdown.
A compound inflorescence
On mature plants the spathes are not always solitary: several may be arranged one above another. This compound system helps distinguish the species from related tree-like strelitzias with simpler inflorescences.
Two-ranked geometry, many axes
Each shoot produces leaves in two ranks, but the rhizome creates many such axes. The mature multi-stemmed appearance therefore results from repetition of the same flat fan unit.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers on large foliage, pot culture, light, watering and safe winter protection.
01How much clear space do the large leaves need?
Leave room around the fan so the blades can open without rubbing against walls or busy paths. Clear space protects the edges and reveals the tree-like silhouette.
02Can it remain outdoors through winter?
It is not frost hardy. Enjoy it outdoors while conditions are warm, then move it to a very bright sheltered place before nights approach 10°C.
03What light keeps the petioles sturdy?
It needs a very bright position and gentle sun after gradual acclimatisation. In inadequate light the petioles stretch, the fan becomes sparse and the plant leans strongly towards the window.
04When should it be watered?
Water after the top 4–5cm of mix has dried. Its large leaf area raises demand in warmth, but the rootball must never remain permanently saturated.
05Why do the large blades split?
Parallel veins allow the leaf to open into strips as it moves in air. This is normal; reduce strong gusts and rubbing without cutting living green tissue.
06Can it flower in a pot?
It is grown mainly for foliage. White and blue inflorescences require a very large mature plant under exceptional conditions, so flowering in a pot should never be assumed.
📦 Your plant travels protected
Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.