About seven years ago when we first moved in the house, mom immediately planted this "Bird of Paradise" in the front of our house. She then was hoping to see its fire-red tropical flowers. But the leaves grew larger and larger, the plant has grown into a "tree", but there was no flower to be seen. More than one person has asked mom why she planted a banana tree in the front! It took seven years for it to finally bloom! It turned out that there are two kinds of "Bird of Paradise". The more common one we saw in the store and flower stand and the one we got, which is called the Giant Bird of Paradise.

At the beginning of the year, mom noticed a few strange looking dark "sword" poking out of the large green leaves, she immediately understood what they were: the bulbs! After much anticipation, this delicate white flower finally danced out of its womb. Pure and fragile looking, it reminded me of a baby-crane, especially with its pale blue "beak".

We now have three of them.