The Strelitzia Nicolai has bloomed in the Palm House of the University of Latvia.
It is noteworthy that this plant usually blooms at the end of May, however this year its impressive flowers can be seen already now — about two months earlier, reports the program "900 seconds" (TV3).
"What you see — vertical, darker, smaller — will still open up. There is one, two, and three..." — the director of the Palm House helps visitors spot the flower of the Strelitzia Nicolai. Despite its impressive size, it is not easy to notice it right away.
"When coming to see the Strelitzia Nicolai, feel free to bring, perhaps even a theatrical binocular or a phone with a good zoom, because the flower is located about seven meters high. It seems small, but it actually reaches 30 centimeters — it is a huge flower!"
The director of the Palm House of the Botanical Garden of the University of Latvia, Renate Lagzdina, notes that in the wild, the Strelitzia Nicolai, or "bird of paradise," blooms even at heights of up to ten meters:
"It is different from what we usually know about orange royal Strelitzias, which grow lower. This one is larger, blooms higher, and therefore is more special."
This spring, the Strelitzia Nicolai bloomed significantly earlier than usual. The difference is substantial — the white flower reached full bloom already in March, not at the end of May. This became possible thanks to the recent renovation of the Palm House.
"Several palms and the Strelitzia have bloomed much earlier than usual. This is due to the stable conditions that we can now provide."
The director of the Palm House suggests that the flowers of the Strelitzia Nicolai can be observed for about another two weeks. However, this period may change slightly depending on weather conditions. At the same time, the updated Palm House may bring other surprises.
The three-leaf macadamia in the old Palm House never bloomed, but after the renovation, botanists hope that it will finally happen.
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