Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Plants

Strelitzia is a genus of four species native to South Africa. The name Strelitzia does Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the wife of King George III of the United Kingdom.

Strelitzia nicolai is 10 meters tall and is the largest species of the genus. The other species typically 2-6 m high.

The leaves are 30-200 cm long and 10-80 cm wide, and resemble a banana leaf, but with a longer petiole. They are arranged in two rows to form a fan-like crown of evergreen foliage.

The flowers form a horizontal inflorescence emerging from a stout spathe. The flowers are pollinated by sunbirds, which the spathe as a perch when visiting the flowers.

The weight of the birds makes the flower opens and pollen on bird legs gets, what the birds next flower it visits.



Source: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strelitzia

See Also: International Flower Delivery, Florist