Black "Birds of Paradise" in bloom in Florida

[mauraec]

Hi everyone -

The landscaping around Marco Island, in Southwest Florida, is in general very manicured. Our condo complex is no exception, except that this year, these amazing black and blue "Birds of Paradise" emerged in full bloom from between the lower fronds of several palm trees along one wall. They do have, of course, the ubiquitous orange ones, too, but they didn't capture my attention like these did. No one there had ever seen them before, but perhaps the Florida natives on OT see them all the time.

[coeruleo]

we have a dwarf banana tree here that looks similar.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Very nice! I've not seen black ones before. I actually killed our beautiful BOP this past fall. When moving it into the greenhouse I hit a hole in the yard and the pot turned over off of the dolly. The plant snapped off at the dirt level. I put the roots into the greenhouse anyway, but no signs of life.

cheers,
BD

[stateless]

actually I know these as white birds of paradise, they grow more like a 'travellers palm' or more 'tree' like growth than the orange which is bushier, have one in my front yard, I should check if it's blooming

[catttan]

Nice pictures. Never seen this variety before.

[Ron-NY]

Google tells me the normal orange ones are Strelitzia reginae. The white ones are Strelitzia nicolai.

[mauraec]

I can't believe someone looked at these things and decided to call them "white" ; where the Strelitzia reginae are bright orange, these Strelitzia nicolai are jet black - and both have blue and white origami-looking stuff coming out through the top and front.

Many thanks to those better-informed for their contributions!

[pavel]

First time I've seen this species. Interesting change from the species I am familiar with.

I can't believe someone looked at these things and decided to call them "white" ; where the Strelitzia reginae are bright orange, these Strelitzia nicolai are jet black - and both have blue and white origami-looking stuff coming out through the top and front.

Hence why this species is called "white" and S. reginae is called "orange".

[mauraec]

First time I've seen this species. Interesting change from the species I am familiar with.



Hence why this species is called "white" and S. reginae is called "orange".

My point, Paul, which I guess was unclear, is the both the orange and black types have white and blue "plumes", but the main body of the one we usually see is orange, while the main body of this one is BLACK.

[pavel]

My point, Paul, which I guess was unclear, is the both the orange and black types have white and blue "plumes", but the main body of the one we usually see is orange, while the main body of this one is BLACK.

Not the ones I commonly see, Maura. I have never seen one in which the sheath for the flowers is orange. Rather the "plumes" are orange, like so ...
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...d=0CJkBEPwdMA8