Strelitzia reginae

Strelitzia is known for its exotic and vibrant flowers that resemble a bird in flight. Its large glossy leaves add a lush, elegant and tropical aesthetic that contrasts well with more traditional Mediterranean plants.

Strelitzia reginae, the classic bird of paradise, produces its iconic orange-and-blue beaked flowers from autumn through spring in the Mediterranean — typically October to May — with the heaviest flush in winter when little else is in bloom. Each flower lasts 1–2 weeks and a mature clump can produce 30 or more flowers per season. The leathery grey-green oblong leaves are evergreen and decorative year-round. Hardy to -3°C, drought-tolerant once established, the plant tolerates salt spray, coastal conditions and reflected heat from walls. Established clumps benefit from being slightly pot-bound and dry through summer — flowering is reduced in over-watered plants.

Bird of paradise grows 1–1.5 m tall and as wide, forming a tidy clump that gradually expands. Use as a focal-point plant in dry borders, in entrance compositions where the winter flowers welcome visitors during the off-season, in large terracotta pots flanking pool steps and doorways, and in mass plantings around modern architecture. The orange flowers and grey-green foliage combine beautifully with the deep blue of Plumbago auriculata, the cool blue of Agapanthus africanus and the silver of Lavandula and Westringia. Particularly striking against white-stuccoed walls and the dark vertical lines of Cupressus sempervirens. The harvested flowers are popular long-lasting cut flowers — lasting 2 weeks indoors.