Bird of Paradise are native to South Africa, and are very hardy and can be grown in full sun to part shade. They get their name from their exotic blue/orange flowers that resemble the head of a colourful tropical bird.
Bird of Paradise have large, lush foliage and look great when used in rockeries and interplanted with yuccas and agaves. Great for creating a tropical feel in the garden.
We refer to these as “Flowering Bird of Paradise” or Strelitzia Bird of Paradise (a bit of a mouthful that comes from their botanical name) because there is another variety of Bird of Paradise called Giant Bird of Paradise. These have much bigger leaves, are taller growing, and are often planted together with Flowering Bird of Paradise to create a multi-layered, tropic garden effect even as far south as Melbourne.