What in the world?

Bird of Paradise - Strelitzia

Strelitzia is the scientific name given to a flower more commonly known as the ‘Bird of Paradise ' or ‘Crane flower ’ . The plant native to South Africa features flowers that are shaped like a spikey-headed bird, hence the name Bird of Paradise. The flower also has petals of a generally bright orange or are yellow and purple in colour, but there are a couple of species that have white flowers.

There are five to six species in the group of Strelitzia, with Strelitzia reginae being the most common. Strelitzia is named after the place where Queen Charlotte was born the territory of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The Bird of Paradise is known to represent beauty, freedom, and magnificence, but in some other parts of the world it can mean anything from faithfulness and love to being a symbol of thoughtfulness hence making it a perfect romantic gift. The Bird of Paradise is also symbolic of having a good perspective on life.

Bird of Paradise plants usually bloom between September and May. During spring and summer months, the soil of the Bird of Paradise plant needs to be kept moist, whereas in the winter and fall, the soil should be kept dry. Bird of Paradise plants should be fertilized before new growth which occurs during spring. Due to its low maintenance requirements, the Bird of Paradise makes for an ideal house plant.

There are so many things that make the Bird of Paradise such a unique and special plant; its shape and form, the colours it displays and the meaning of its quirky name. This all sums up to create such a highly popular plant. Charmi Kularathna Yr 10