If there is anything else that you would like to know about the Mandela's Gold Strelitzia, please contact us. Contact us as well if you'd like to order plants.

Strelitzia reginae is a monocotyledonous flowering plant indigenous to South Africa. Common names include Strelitzia, Crane Flower or Bird of Paradise, though these names are also collectively applied to other species in the genus Strelitzia. Its scientific name commemorates Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of King George III.

Yellow-flowering strelitzias have been known for a number of years, plants have cropped up in France, California, Australia, Japan and in SOuth Africa at a few locations in Eastern Cape and at Kirstenbosch and the Karoo Desert National Botanical Gardens, but always isolated specimens. Left to their own devices these yellow forms will not breed true as they will most likely be pollinated by an orange plant. To get yellow progency, two yellow plants must be crossed. From the 1970's to 1994 stock were built up at Kirstenbosch when it was originally released as 'Kirstenbosch Gold'. In 1996, when the NBI granted permission, it was renamed to 'Mandela's Gold' in honour of Nelson Mandela.

Strelitzia is very popular as an ornamental plant. It was first introduced to Europe in 1773, when it was grown at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Since then, it has been widely introduced around the world, including the Americas and Australia, growing well in any area that is sunny and warm. In the United States, Florida and California are the main areas of cultivation, due to their warm climate. It is a common ornamental plant in Southern California, and has been chosen as the Official Flower of the City of Los Angeles, where they are all but unkillable.

It is propagated by division or from seeds, and is a low-maintenance plant that is easy to grow in the garden; it is fairly tolerant of soil conditions and needs little water once established. If cared for well, they will flower several times in a year. They will thrive in rich loamy soil, especially when they get plenty of water throughout the year. They do well in full sun to semi-shade and respond well to regular feeding with a slow-release fertilizer and compost. They are sensitive to cold and need to be sheltered from frost, as it can damage the flowers and leaves.

Patience is required when growing this plant as it is slow-growing and may take a while to bloom. To get a mature plant from seed takes three to five years (though it can exceptionally flower at three years). The flowers are, however, quite long-lasting once they appear. There is also a yellow cultivar of this flower known as Mandela's gold strelitzia (Aiton). Peak flowering is in the winter and early spring.