A spring flower coming from South Africa, the Strelitzia is a flower worthy of royalties as its beauty has been compared to the “bird of paradise”. The name of Strelitzia has found its inspiration in the name of Queen Charlotte’s birth place, Meckenburg-Strelitz in England. The resemblance of the Strelitzia flower with “the bird of paradise” is quite striking, as this has led to an alternative denomination of this flower which is commonly used and accepted as a circulation term – the bird of paradise flower.
Strelitzia represents a genus combing five species of perennial plants, amongst which the tallest, Strelitiza nicolai, can reach up to 10 m height, while the other species only 2 or 3 m. Impressive in appearance, the Strelitzia has large leaves forming a crown of ever-green foliage which is accompanied by the beautiful blooming flowers. The leaves passess the shape of a banana and are quite numerous. 
The Strelitzia is sunbirds pollinated, but if grown indoors there are some rules to follow in order to develop properly. Watering the plant can be a very dangerous process as this flower requires moderate watering, not too much, nor too little. Also, the Strelitzia flower must be kept between 15 and 17 degrees C at night, 17 to 20 in cloudy days and 22 to 25 degrees in sunny days. The watering has to be done between 2 to 5 times per month, according to the season. This flower has also a period of non-watering between the months May and August, time in which the plant is inactive.
Usually grown in gardens, Strelitzia flower is available at any time and it can be found on orange, blue, yellow or white. Although beautiful and elegant, this flower requires a certain amount of attention and care, as the Strelitzia is a flower very pretentious to light, water, soil and temperature variations. No matter the effort, the beauty of this flower compensates for every minute of nurturing.
The five Strelitzia species are: Strelitzia juncea, Strelitzia nicolai, Strelitzia caudata, Strelitzia alba and Strelitzia reginae, all of equal beauty and splendor. The Strelitzia reginae has even become one of the most planted flowers in Los Angeles, making of this flower the flower emblem of the City of Angels. The abundance of Strelitzia flower in Los Angeles is well-know and the outsiders of this city see the City of Angels as the paradise for this “flower of paradise”, as its rightful place.
The beauty of such flower couldn’t remain unnoticed as florists worldwide use it in their finest flower arrangements; painters use it as model for their exquisite nature settings and people use it to add beauty and life to their gardens and to their homes. The Strelitzia adds a touch of distinction to any garden and its beauty amazes even those who declare themselves to be against nature and vegetation.
Strelitzia Flower Pictures Gallery
