Strelitzia reginae

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Strelitzia reginae
Flower
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Zingiberales
Family: Strelitziaceae
Genus: Strelitzia
Species:
S. reginae
Binomial name
Strelitzia reginae

Strelitzia reginae, commonly known as the crane flower, bird of paradise, or isigude in

perennial
, it is widely cultivated for its dramatic flowers. In temperate areas it is a popular houseplant.

Taxonomy

specific epithet reginae means “of the queen”, and commemorates the British queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of George III.[3] Common names such as “crane flower” and “bird of paradise” reference the open flower’s resemblance to the head and beak of a colourful exotic bird.[4]

A new subspecies was discovered growing alongside the Mzimvubu River in South Africa’s Eastern Cape in 2002.[5] When wild-collected plants began to flower in the greenhouse at Kirstenbosch, they were noted to have white, rather than the typical blue inner petals. They also had a shorter stigma (10–15 millimetres (3⁄8–9⁄16 in) vs. 30 millimetres (1+3⁄16 in)) and subtle differences of the leaves. The new subspecies is called Strelitzia reginae subsp. mzimvubuensis.[6]

Genetic analysis reveals Strelitzia juncea has been shown to be genetically nested within S. reginae. It is possibly a mutation that is in the process of speciating.[7]

Description

The plant grows to 2 m (6+1⁄2 ft) tall, with large, strong leaves 25–70 cm (10–28 in) long and 10–30 cm (4–12 in) broad, produced on petioles up to 1 m (40 in) long. The leaves are evergreen and arranged in two ranks, making a fan-shaped crown. The flowers stand above the foliage at the tips of long stalks. The hard, beak-like sheath from which the flower emerges is termed the spathe. This is placed perpendicular to the stem, which gives it the appearance of a bird's head and beak; it makes a durable perch for holding the sunbirds which pollinate the flowers. The flowers, which emerge one at a time from the spathe, consist of three orange sepals and three purplish-blue or white petals. Two of the petals are joined together to form an arrow-like nectary. When the sunbirds sit to drink the nectar, the third petal opens to release the anther and cover their feet in pollen.[8]

Cultivation and uses

Strelitzia reginae is very popular as an

City of Los Angeles.[9][10]

In areas with cold winters it is normally grown under glass, in a cool sunny position such as a greenhouse or conservatory, as it tolerates only light frosts[11] and does not grow well in temperatures below 10 °C (50 °F). However, it may be placed outside during the summer months. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[12][13]

It is a low-maintenance plant that is easy to grow in the garden; it is fairly tolerant of soil conditions and needs little water once established. If cared for well, they will flower several times in a year. They will thrive in rich

controlled release fertiliser and compost.[citation needed] They are sensitive to cold and need to be sheltered from frost
, as it can damage the flowers and leaves.

S. reginae is propagated by seed or division. Seedlings are slow-growing and will not bloom for three to five years, though it can exceptionally flower at two years.[14] It flowers only when properly established and division of the plant may affect flowering patterns. The flowers are, however, quite long-lasting once they appear. Peak flowering is in the winter and early spring. There is a yellow-flowered cultivar of this plant known as ‘Mandela's Gold’.[15]

Allergenicity

Bird-of-paradise plants have an OPALS allergy scale rating of 1, and are considered "allergy-fighting"; they produce no airborne pollen.[16]

Gallery

References

  1. ^ "Strelitzia reginae". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2008-03-10.
  2. ^ a b "Strelitzia reginae". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2017-08-03.
  3. ^ a b "Strelitzia reginae". PlantZAfrica.com. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  4. ^ "Plants of the World Online:Strelitzia reginae Banks". Kew Science. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  5. ISBN 978-0-9947221-2-6
    .
  6. ^ "Strelitzia reginae subsp. mzimvubuensis | PlantZAfrica". pza.sanbi.org. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
  7. S2CID 17046806
    .
  8. ^ Gibbs Russell, G. E., W. G. M. Welman, E. Retief, K. L. Immelman, G. Germishuizen, B. J. Pienaar, M. Van Wyk & A. Nicholas. 1987. List of species of southern African plants. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa 2(1–2): 1–152(pt. 1), 1–270(pt. 2).
  9. ^ Nichols, Chris (19 October 2015). "Ask Chris: When Did the Bird of Paradise Become the Official Flower of L.A.?". lamag.com. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  10. ^ "Get to know the official flower and tree of Los Angeles". dailynews.com. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  11. ^ "Plants & Flowers » Strelitzia reginae". plantsrescue.com. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  12. ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Strelitzia reginae". Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  13. ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 99. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  14. ISBN 1-875093-40-0
  15. ^ "Strelitzia reginae 'Mandela's Gold'". pza.sanbi.org. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  16. ISBN 978-1-60774-491-7
    .

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Strelitzia reginae.
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