Strelitzia nicolai, commonly known as the wild banana or giant white bird of paradise, is a species of banana-like plants with erect woody stems reaching a height of 7–8 m (23–26 ft), and the clumps formed can spread as far as 3.5 m (11 ft).

The 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)-long leaves are grey-green and arranged like a fan at the top of the stems, similar to Ravenala madagascariensis. The inflorescence is composed of a dark blue bract, white sepals and a bluish-purple "tongue". The entire flower can be as much as 18 cm (7.1 in) high by 45 cm (18 in) long, and is typically held just above the point where the leaf fan emerges from the stem. Flowers are followed by triangular seed capsules.

Strelitzia nicolai is among the few plants which have been verified to contain the pigment bilirubin, which is usually found in animals.

  

Nice

google-airc Posted at 10-18 00:08
Nice

Thanks google-airc

Very nice #shorts.  I've seen a few white birds of paradise growing here in South Florida.  The flowers are amazing.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 10-18 02:43
Very nice #shorts.  I've seen a few white birds of paradise growing here in South Florida.  The flowers are amazing.

From past experience I know that The Nikolai fosters it's own eco-system of bugs, spiders and birds.
Other strelitzias around (smaller variety) are quite prolific in the area.

Droffarc Posted at 10-18 02:49
From past experience I know that The Nikolai fosters it's own eco-system of bugs, spiders and birds.
Other strelitzias around (smaller variety) are quite prolific in the area.

Yeah, these local ones are probably dwarfs from the big ones you describe.  I'm guessing but they are probably only about 3 meters tall.  

Thanks for sharing

DowntownRDB Posted at 10-18 03:21
Yeah, these local ones are probably dwarfs from the big ones you describe.  I'm guessing but they are probably only about 3 meters tall.

Dwarfs hey? They sing about gold, have beards and names like Ironfounderson?    

These are the more popular ones in this area:

BetterBizTech Posted at 10-18 06:06
Thanks for sharing

Always a pleasure BBTech

Droffarc Posted at 10-18 06:38
Dwarfs hey? They sing about gold, have beards and names like Ironfounderson?   

These are the more popular ones in this area:

Love the colors in that bloom.  

An extraordinary plant indeed.

DowntownRDB Posted at 10-19 02:58
Love the colors in that bloom.

Blooming nice, to coin a phrase

Blériot53 Posted at 10-19 05:09
An extraordinary plant indeed.

Quite common in these parts, I doubt they like overcast, rainy and cold weather much, being from paradise, you know

Droffarc Posted at 10-19 06:52
Quite common in these parts, I doubt they like overcast, rainy and cold weather much, being from paradise, you know

I don't like those kinds of weather either

Droffarc Posted at 10-19 06:51
Blooming nice, to coin a phrase

      

Unusual.    We could do with some of your weather here.  

DAFlys Posted at 10-20 23:45
Unusual.    We could do with some of your weather here.

Not exactly Babet but bloody blustery with  rainbow in the blue

Droffarc Posted at 10-21 09:00
Not exactly Babet but bloody blustery with  rainbow in the blue

[view_image]

Now that is an odd mix.  I assume the cloud is just out of shot.  

DAFlys Posted at 10-21 09:27
Now that is an odd mix.  I assume the cloud is just out of shot.

I am not sure, It is behind the building but it does not look like there is a cloud.

Droffarc Posted at 10-21 10:44
I am not sure, It is behind the building but it does not look like there is a cloud.

So I wonder where the rain droplets to form the rainbow were hiding.  

DAFlys Posted at 10-21 23:03
So I wonder where the rain droplets to form the rainbow were hiding.

I must have misst it

Droffarc Posted at 10-22 07:37
I must have misst it

Lucky you. usually after I spot a rainbow I get a soaking.  

DAFlys Posted at 10-23 00:41
Lucky you. usually after I spot a rainbow I get a soaking.

That is perchance a reward

Nice shorts!

Thanks for sharing