Strelitzia reginae

bird-of-paradise

Bird of paradise, Strelitzia reginae, flower with bright orange petals and a blue spike in the form of a bird's head at The Botanic Gardens at Kona Kai Resort in Key Largo, Florida

In its native South Africa, this plant is pollinated in a unique way - when sunbirds land on the blue petals to drink the flower's nectar, their feet are dusted in pollen, which they then carry to the next flower they visit.

Close-up of the blue spike of the flower of the bird of paradise, Strelitzia reginae

Natives in KwaZulu-Natal (southern Africa) have used strained decoctions of the flowers to treat venereal diseases and inflamed glands. A compound has been extracted from the petals to develop colors. The seeds are used in the Cape to sour milk, and at first I wasn’t sure why one would want to do this. Apparently, soured milk is different from spoiled milk, which sours naturally and may contain toxins. Souring milk is safe to drink/eat and helps improve its shelf life, while at the same time creating a thicker consistency in the milk. The end product probably tastes and feels like plain yogurt.

Bird-of-paradise likes a certain balance of sun and shade; if in too much sun, the leaves will burn but if in too much shade, flowers will be few. It is relatively slow growing and only requires occasional watering.