Bird of Paradise Flower Poster

"Bird of Paradise Flower" by Catherine Sherman. Raindrops adorn the flower of the Bird of Paradise plant (Strelitzia reginae) in an Hawaiian garden. Common in gardens through the tropical world where it is a perennial evergreen, this plant is also known as the crane flower. Indigenous to South Africa, it is widely cultivated for its dramatic flowers. In temperate areas it is a popular houseplant. Sir Joseph Banks described the species in 1788. The specific epithet reginae means “of the queen”, and commemorates the British queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of George III. Common names such as “crane flower” and “bird of paradise” reference the open flower’s resemblance to the head and beak of a colourful exotic birds.