Strelitzia juncea

Strelitzia juncea, sometimes called the rush-stemmed bird of paradise, is a robust South African perennial that is much less well-known and cultivated than its close relative, Strelitzia reginae. It forms a very large evergreen clump composed of long, almost leafless stems resembling a thick rush, and flowers over a very long spring to summer period. Its flowers, slightly lower than the foliage, resemble the heads of exotic orange and blue birds. This frost-sensitive plant can be grown in the ground in the mildest areas. But all gardeners can admire it in a large pot that can be placed on the terrace throughout the summer: its cultivation presents no difficulty in fertile soil that is moist in summer, drier in winter.

Strelitzia juncea belongs to the family Strelitziaceae, which consists of 5 known species, all native to clearings and riverbanks along South African rivers. This one is found in the Eastern Cape region in dry to arid clearings, among Euphorbia species. It is a plant that requires well-drained, light, and fertile soil. Its hardiness does not exceed -3°C (26.6°F).

This rhizomatous perennial, whose aerial stem is apparently absent, over time forms a huge clump that can reach a height of 1.50 m (5ft) and spreads laterally by producing suckers over more than 1m. The leaves, almost devoid of blades, have very long stalks: the cylindrical petiole, thin and reaching a height of up to 80 cm (32in), resembles a bluish rush stem. At its top unfolds the small, glaucous-coloured leaf. Flowering takes place from June to September. The flower stems are generally shorter than the foliage. From a green spathe edged with red or purple, 20 cm (8in) long, emerge orange flowers with a blue-violet lip, whose shape resembles an arrowhead. The flowering is followed by the formation of capsules containing seeds with a filamentous envelope, often slightly reddish.

In floristry, the Strelitzia is the ultimate exotic cut flower, thanks to its extraordinary structure and its vibrant orange and blue colours, which complement each other perfectly. It is also a very beautiful conservatory plant, which fears only the cold, and proves easy to grow as long as it is not lacking in water or nutrients during the growing season. It is easy to create an exotic setting around the Strelitzia by associating it with cannas, castor oil plants, Melianthus major, Billbergia nutans, a small banana tree, gingers, and a small palm tree such as the Sabal minor, for example.