Large-scale foliage
Broad blades and long petioles create shadow, movement and the immediate impression of a tropical canopy.
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Strelitzia nicolai 17cm
Normal price
€30,00
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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 gives a space a strong tropical character with large, broad leaves opening like fans on sturdy stalks. Their glossy green surfaces combine with clear upright lines to create an imposing, sculptural presence. As the stems gain height and new ones appear at the base, its silhouette becomes more layered. Natural splits in older leaves bring movement and give their bold outlines a lighter finish.
The broad curves of its leaves soften the straight lines of a courtyard or terrace and add depth behind lower planting. As a single focal point, it is most effective against simple surrounding surfaces that allow its natural architecture to remain fully visible.
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 creates a lush tropical scene through a clean contemporary silhouette that is easy to combine.
In the garden & on the balcony Placement & plant combinations Large leaves in a bright, sheltered composition with room to develop freely.
Broad leaves behind planting
Use it as a mid-height architectural layer on a sheltered terrace, leaving space from the wall so the blades can open freely.
Tropical contrasts
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.
- Colocasia esculenta ‘Black Magic’ — near-black blades sharpen the bird of paradise’s bright green, in a separate warm pot with generous summer moisture
- Liriope muscari ‘Monroe White’ — a low evergreen mass and white flower spikes give the display a clean finish in bright partial shade
- Cordyline australis ‘Red Star’ — a narrow burgundy vertical line changes both colour and silhouette, in its own 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 matter with coarse mineral material so that the mix retains moisture while allowing air to reach the roots.
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 new fans facing different directions.
Tree-like maturity
In warm open ground the bases elongate and become trunk-like; container culture keeps the form far smaller.
Mature form & dimensions
Indicative mature formHeight 6–10 mSpread 3–5 mTall axes, broad leaves
Older stems form woody trunks with leaf scars. Younger fans develop at the base, while large leaves gather near the tops of mature axes. In very favourable climates it can exceed 10 m.
Form through time
Young clumpBroad leaves near the base and new shoots
Mature axesTall stems, several fans and natural leaf splits
The mature form represents planting in the ground in a suitable mild climate. Growth in a pot is limited by root space.
What to expect after planting: In the ground in a suitable mild climate, it can form a tall clump around 6–10 m high and 3–5 m wide, with greater height possible in very favourable conditions. A pot limits its growth; young plants do not represent the mature scale.
History & origin Species origin An evergreen species from the coastal forests of south-eastern Africa.
Strelitzia nicolai grows naturally in coastal forests and thickets of south-eastern Africa, including the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mozambique. Its rhizomes produce new shoots beside older ones, gradually forming the dense clumps characteristic of the species.
The genus name honours Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The epithet nicolai commemorates Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaievich the Elder, a son of Tsar Nicholas I. The original botanical description appeared in Gartenflora in 1858.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScience nobody asked forBotanical details for anyone curious about what lies behind the plant’s appearance
An unusual orange pigment
In 2009, bilirubin was identified in the orange fleshy covering of Strelitzia nicolai seeds. It is the same chemical compound previously known mainly from animals.
Several axes, separate fans
Each axis carries leaves in two ranks, creating an individual fan. New shoots from the base add fans facing different directions. The mature clump therefore gains volume in several directions even though the leaves on each axis remain arranged in two ranks.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers on large foliage, pot culture, light, watering and safe winter protection.
01How can I stop it leaning towards the light?
Give it light from the widest opening available and rotate the pot by a quarter turn every two weeks. Gradual rotation balances fresh growth without abrupt changes of orientation.
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 once the top 4–5 cm of the mix has dried. The large leaf area increases demand in warm weather, but the soil around the roots should never stay waterlogged.
05Why do the large blades split?
Large blades can split along the parallel veins under wind or mechanical strain. This is common on mature leaves; reduce strong gusts and rubbing without cutting away healthy 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.