Common Name : Bird Of Paradise
Scientific Name: Strelitzia reginae
Description: Or more properly, orange bird of paradise, as there is a white bird of paradise (also seen here in the Caribbean Gardens). Both are native to South Africa and tropical to subtropical areas. The orange bird is used as a florist's cut flower and is commonly grown in southern California and Hawaii. The white bird has little appreciable stem, is larger, and has an attractive white and blue color. The white is primarily used for landscape purposes. Orange birds are usually five feet tall or less, while the white ones may be fifteen feet or more and closely resemble the "Traveler's Tree."
Origin: South Africa
Recommended LINKS & BOOKS
A great resource for botanical information is Botanica which you can order from Amazon.com at this link. This text features beautiful color photos and descriptions of over 10,000 garden plants. It is also available to order on CD from Canada.