In Los Angeles strelitzias are so extensively planted that it is regarded as the emblem of the city. Strelitzia reginae is, however, indigenous to South Africa where it grows wild in the eastern Cape. Here the strelitzias grow between other shrubs along the riverbanks and clearing in the coastal bush. Many other well known plants like Plumbago , Tecomaria and cycads come from the Eastern Cape which has a mild climate and rain distributed throughout the year. Description S trelitzia reginae is a bold structural plant, which forms large evergreen clumps of stiff leaves growing up from the base.
Mature plants are very floriferous with flowers in autumn, winter and spring.
The structure and pollination of the flowers are rather interesting. The hard, beak-like sheath from which the flower emerges, is called the spathe. This is placed at right angles to the stem, which gives it the appearance of a bird's head. The flowers, which emerge one at a time from the spathe, consist of 3 brilliant orange sepals and 3 bright blue petals. Two of the blue petals are joined together to form an arrow-like nectary.