A striking yellow-gold form of the familiar bird-of-paradise. In the 1970’s, at Capetown’s Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, seven yellow plants appeared in the population of ordinary orange-colored crane flowers. The curators there began a long and careful program of selection and hand-pollination, and after more than twenty years the stock had been increased enough to introduce the yellow-colored variety to horticulture. Originally named “Kirstenbosch Gold,” it was re-named in 1996 in honor of Nelson Mandela. Like the traditional orange variety of Strelitzia reginae, this cultivar is a stemless, evergreen, clump-forming perennial with greyish green, banana-like leaves. The plants can grow 4 to 5 feet tall and start to flower in early spring. We imported seed of this species in 2001 but we were not willing to sell plants which grew from this seed batch until it began to flower. Well, in spring of 2007, the first blooms came out in glorious yellow/gold colors, and here you have them. |
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15 Gallon Plants We have a limited number of larger plants with fuller leaf and flower flushes. These are discounted while they are available. |
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5 Gallon Plants These are well filled-out plants, that have bloomed this past year, many of which are currently in bloom. |
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