Strelitzia reginae

The bird-of-paradise is one of the most famous and distinctive of the subtropical and tropical flowers with its unusual inflorescence of orange and blue petals that look like a feathered crown atop a crane's head. Strelitzia reginae is from South Africa. Grow it in a pot outdoors in full sun in the summer with good moisture and fertilizer. Bring it indoors in fall to spend the winter. It will bloom indoors from January to March.

Zn 10. Evergreen clumps of bananna like leaves.

Bird of Paradise is one of the most famous tropical plants that many gardeners long to grow. The large, exotic flowers resemble an origami-type bird of blue and orange about to take flight. The long-lasting flowers hold on the plant for several weeks and they make excellent cut flowers. Grow in full sun for best flower production. Related to the banana, Bird of Paradise has upright, leathery leaves that add a tropical feel to any patio garden.

The Bird of Paradise produces exotic and unusual, tropical looking orange, blue, and purple bird-like flowers that are perfectly designed to allow a bird to perch on the sepals and provide access to their rich nectar. The large blue green glossy foliage is attractive enough even when the plant is not in flower. This is a hardy clump forming tropical evergreen. Bird of Paradise makes an excellent patio plant and container plant and the more rootbound it gets the better it seems to flower. It is probably best suited to landscape plantings in only the mildest winter climates and may freeze to the ground if temperatures reach the mid 20's. The Bird of Paradise will often return from the roots but they are slow to recover and flower buds may be damaged. In the hottest summer climates provide the Bird of Paradise with midday and afternoon shade for the best foliage color but in cooler coastal plantings it will tolerate full sun.