The unusually beautiful shape and brilliant colors of Birds of Paradise have made these flowers not just a designer's favorite, but also a popular symbol of paradise.
One of the most colorful exotic flowers in the world, the Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia), also known as Crane flowers got its name from its spectacular flower shape which resembles a brightly colored bird in flight. Birds of Paradise are native to South Africa. The plant usually reaches a height of 1.5 meters (5 feet.)
The plant's foliage resembles small banana leaves with long petioles. The boat-shaped bracts, or modified leaves, ares green with red borders and are arranged strictly in two ranks to form a fan-like crown of evergreen foliage. The leaf blades are 15.5 cm (6 inches) wide and 45.72 cm (18 inches long.) Flower have two erect, pointed petals and five stamens. The Birds of Paradise bloom from September through May. The genus Strelitzia contains five species namely:
Strelitzia reginae
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Strelitzia reginae is a tufted, evergreen, stemless perennial herb indigenous to South Africa. The plant can reach 2 meters (6.6 ft) tall, with large, strong leaves 25–70 cm (9.8–27.6 in) long arranged in two ranks, making a fan-shaped crown. The inflorescence stalk is 700 mm tall bearing 4-6 orange sepals and blue/purple petals flowers.
White Bird of Paradise
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White Bird of Paradise (
Strelitzia alba) is the rarest of three large banana-like Strelitzia species occurring in southern Africa. This frost-sensitive, clump-forming perennial Bird of Paradise plant can reach 10 meters (32. 8 feet) tall, with leaves measuring 2 meters (6.5 feet) by 0.6 meters (1.96 feet.) As the name suggests, the flowers are completely white less the blue color found in other species. The 30 cm (0.9 ft (11.81 in) long boat-shaped bract encloses from five to ten flowers which appear in sequence.
Mountain Strelitzia
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Mountain Strelitzia (
Strelitzia caudata), another banana-like Strelitzia species is widespread in southern Africa. The plant is unbranched and multi-stemmed, measuring up to 6 meters (19.6 feet) tall. The flowering part of the plant consists of a single purplish, boat-shaped spathe bearing several flowers.
Giant White Bird of Paradise
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Giant White Bird of Paradise (
Strelitzia nicolai) are banana-like plants with erect woody stems reaching a height of 6 meters (20 feet) and the clumps formed can spread as far as 3.5 meters (11 feet). The 1.8 meters (5 feet 11 in) long leaves are gray-green and arranged in fans atop the trunks. The flowers have white sepals with blue petals and consist of five purplish blue, boat-shape sheaths. The entire flower can be as much as 18 cm (7.1 in) high by 45 cm (18 in) long.
Rush-leaved Strelitzia or Narrow-leaved Bird of Paradise
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Rush-leaved Strelitzia or Narrow-leaved Bird of Paradise (
Strelitzia juncea) is a striking Bird of Paradise species with upright cylindrical leaves without a leaf blade. The plant can reach 1 to2 meters (3.2 to 6.56 ft) in height and producing large orange or yellow flowers. The inflorescence consists of a boat-shaped spathe bearing five flowers on average. The plant is instantly recognizable for its narrow, reed-like leaves.
