Description
Local Emblem Strelitzia Madeira Portugal. Strelitzia reginae. The Strelitzia or bird of paradise, with the scientific name Strelitzia reginae, is a herbaceous, rhizomatous perennial plant native to South Africa, approximately 1.20 m tall, with hard, large, ovoid leaves with very long petioles. It is grown in gardens in tropical and subtropical regions and is highly appreciated for the beauty of its flowers, which are approximately 15 cm long, orange and blue in colour and resemble the head of a bird of paradise. The scientific name for this plant “Strelitzia reginae” comes from the Latin = Queen's Strelitzia, in honour of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of King George III of England, who died in 1818.