Description
S trelitzia
reginae is a bold structural plant, which forms
large evergreen clumps of stiff leaves growing up
from the base. The grey-green banana-like leaves grow
about 1,5 m in height and the flowers stand above
the foliage at the tips of long stalks. Mature plants
are very floriferous with flowers in autumn, winter
and spring.
The structure and pollination of the flowers are
rather interesting. The hard, beak-like sheath from
which the flower emerges, is called the spathe. This
is placed at right angles to the stem, which gives
it the appearance of a bird's head. The flowers, which
emerge one at a time from the spathe, consist of 3
brilliant orange sepals and 3 bright blue petals.
Two of the blue petals are joined together to form
an arrow-like nectary. When the birds sit to have
a drink of nectar, the petals open to cover their
feet in pollen.
How to grow Strelitzia reginae
 Strelitzia
reginae is an easy plant to grow in the garden.
Plants do well in full sun to semi-shade, love a rich
loamy soil and plenty of water throughout the year.
They respond well to regular feeding with a slow release
fertilizer and compost. They are however very tolerant
plants and will thrive in most soils and can survive
with very little water once established. The plants
are also wind resistant and grow well in coastal gardens.
Strelitzias are sensitive to cold and would need a
sheltered position in areas with frost as the flowers
and leaves are often damaged by frost. In very cold
climates it is better to grow them in pots that could
be moved indoors when freezing temperatures are expected.
Propagation is by seed or division.
The plants are slow growing and large clumps that
are split or moved will take about two years to re-establish
and flower again. From seed, plants given ideal conditions
will flower within 3 years. To get a mature flowering
plant from seed takes about three to five years. For
best results sow fresh seed in spring. Before sowing,
remove the bright orange tuft of hairs attached to
the seed (aril of each seed) and soak in a aqueous
solution of ethrel at a concentration of 2000 ppm
active constituent, for 48 hours. In practical terms
this entails making up 6ml ethrel (39.5% active ingredient)
to a litre of water. Sow in seedtrays filled with
a well-drained soil medium at a depth of 1,5 times
the size of the seed. A constant temperature of 25
C is most suitable for germination as low temperatures
retard germination. Germination takes four to eight
weeks. Seedlings should be a good size before transplanted
(two to three leaves) into a well drained medium.
Young strelitzia plants must be grown in shade, for
the leaves tend to burn in direct sunlight. Regular
repotting allows the young plant to develop rapidly.
Restricting the root development retards growth.
Mandela's Gold
A beautiful yellow form of Strelitzia reginae
was selected recently. This special selection, known
as Strelitzia reginae "Mandela's Gold", has
been multiplied at Kirstenbosch where large plantings
can be seen flowering in the winter and spring. To
increase the amount of seed most strelitzia flowers
are hand pollinated at Kirstenbosch. This is done
by gently scraping the pollen off with a finger or
a stick, and placing it on the tip of the stigma of
another plant. It takes a few months for the seed
to ripen during which the green pods are often eaten
by squirrels. To prevent this, the old flower heads
are covered with brown paperbags after the flowers
have been pollinated and the seeds start to develop.
Other Strelitzias
Four other Strelitzia species occur in South
Africa namely Strelitzia juncea,
S. nicolai, S. caudata and Strelitzia alba.
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