Tropical Gardens with Hardy Plants - General Tiki

PP Prikli Pear Tiki Socialite New Braunfels, Texas Joined: Jan 04, 2017 Posts: 1025	PP Prikli Pear Posted posted on Thu, Feb 2, 2023 6:47 PM The Bird of Paradise family has some interesting members. As a point of reference, I planted a standard Bird of Paradise in the ground maybe five years ago. I'm in Zone 8B with heavy clay soil. I covered the plant with a frost cloth during our (relatively) mild winters. It survived, but never flowered. Whether this was because of the winter, the clay soil or our summer droughts, I do not know. Two years ago I dug up and split the root ball and planted half in a large pot. It absolutely flourished, quadrupling in size during a single summer--more growth than the parent plant had managed in all previous years combined. So this year I dug up the rest of it and gave it its own pot. I'd absolutely love to have a giant and a traveler's, but damned if I could manage pots big enough!

The Bird of Paradise family has some interesting members. As a point of reference, I planted a standard Bird of Paradise in the ground maybe five years ago. I'm in Zone 8B with heavy clay soil. I covered the plant with a frost cloth during our (relatively) mild winters. It survived, but never flowered. Whether this was because of the winter, the clay soil or our summer droughts, I do not know. Two years ago I dug up and split the root ball and planted half in a large pot. It absolutely flourished, quadrupling in size during a single summer--more growth than the parent plant had managed in all previous years combined. So this year I dug up the rest of it and gave it its own pot.

I'd absolutely love to have a giant and a traveler's, but damned if I could manage pots big enough!

Post #807741 by Prikli Pear on Thu, Feb 2, 2023 6:47 PM