Scientific Name
Strelitzia alba (L.f.) Skeels
Synonym(s)
Heliconia alba, Heliconia augusta, Strelitzia alba subsp. augusta, Strelitzia angusta, Strelitzia augusta
Common Name(s)
White Bird of Paradise, White Strelitzia
Scientific Classification
Family: Strelitziaceae
Genus: Strelitzia
Origin
Strelitzia alba is endemic to the Garden Route along the southernmost coastal regions of the Eastern and Western Cape in South Africa.
Flower
Color: White
Bloom Time: Usually between July and December
Description
Strelitzia alba is a frost-sensitive clump-forming perennial that grows up to 33 feet (10 m) tall. Leaves are up to 6.6 feet (2 m) long and up to 2 feet (60 cm) wide. They are often tattered by strong winds or hail.
The flowers are completely white, lack the blue color found in other species, and appear at any time of the year, but usually between July and December. The up to 1 foot (30 cm) long, boat-shaped bract encloses 5 to 10 flowers, which emerge in sequence. The fruit is a woody capsule, splitting into three lobes to reveal black seeds with a yellow-orange tufty aril. The clean trunk bears the scars of old leaf bases.
How to Grow and Care for Strelitzia alba
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zone 10a to 11b: from 30°F (-1.1°C) to 50°F (10°C).
Bird of Paradise is easier to grow than many tropical plants. The plant is a vigorous, rapidly growing indoor plant. They can be moved outside in the summer and, in warmer climates, will thrive for half the year. They typically flower in the late winter or early spring, but they will bloom at various times under optimal conditions.
Strelitzia is a genus of about 5 or 6 species (depending on who you listen to). Strelitzia reginae is the best-known species and is frequently grown as a houseplant. It is a beautiful plant that can be grown very successfully indoors. The biggest drawbacks are typically their size (they can grow up to 5 feet/1.5 m) and the fact that they take 3 to 5 years to flower. They work well in massed plantings or as specimen plants, and their flowers will rise above the foliage for an impressive display. The trick to successful growth is providing lots of bright light (with some gentle, direct sun), water, warmth, and food.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Bird of Paradise Flower.
Links
- Back to genus Strelitzia
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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