Family: Strelitziaceae
Scientific name: Strelitzie caudata
Common name: Mountain strelitzia
Origin: Mountains of Swaziland, South Africa

The Mountain Strelitzia is the rarest species of Strelitzia, from the mountains of Swaziland, and is almost unknown in cultivation. The species resembles the Strelitzia nicolai and the Strelitzia alba, but has in contrast to the S. nicolai just one bract for each inflorescence, and has in contrast to the S. alba a light blue petal. In nature the plant reaches a height of 8 meters, but stays much smaller in a tub. It is therefore suitable as a container- or indoorplant in temperate climates. 

Sowing description: Remove the orange fluff from the seeds to prevent fungal growth. Soak the seeds for 48 hours in lukewarm water and sow the seeds in sowing mix. Keep the soil constantly moist and let the seeds germinate at a temperature of 25 degC.

Sowing time: Whole year
Difficulty: Easy
Minimum temperature: 5 degrees Celcius

Photo 1: Sayers Strelitzia Nursery
Photo 2: B.T. Wursten