Strelitzia nicolai - White Bird of Paradise in 12 cm pot

Commonly known as the White Giant Bird of Paradise.  Native to coastal forest and thicket of eastern south Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, and Zimbabwe and is reportedly naturalized in eastern Mexico.

  These beautiful plants really are the ideal way to bring a touch of the exotic into your home!  Their fantastic, large blue-grey leaves when fully mature can reach up to 60 cm in length.  A very striking plant indeed and that's before you have even seen the flowers! You will need to be patient for this, it can take 3 or 4 years, plenty of warmth, light, and food, it will even appreciate being a little pot bound but when you do, these blooms are well worth the wait. White with hints of blue to black spathes and of course, they resemble the beak of a tropical bird!  

As well as warmth and light, these wonderful plants will need sufficient humidity.  Browning of the tips of the leaves is usually a good sign that they are not getting enough.