Strelitzia juncea

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Perhaps the most unique and most sought of the various Strelitzia species. The most unique feature is the leafless stems which resemble a rush, long and cylindrical. The stems prod uce a small leaf when young, until they reach about 3 feet tall then they gradually get smaller and smaller until they disappear altogether. The flowers are large and showy, bright orange like the more familiar reginae. In nature this is a rather rare plant of limited distribution, restricted to small areas of the Eastern Cape region of South Africa, north of Port Elizabeth near Uitenhage. It often comes as a surprise to gardeners in the U.S. that this species and reginae alike are found in rather arid locations, in the company of Euphorbias and other succulent species, thus surviving considerable drought. (See photos in habitat below) A slow grower that blooms in its third or fourth year. This species does not sucker but rather divides at the crown. Grow in a well-drained soil in full sun. Show more