When one approaches my home, this plant makes itself known with its large green leaves that blow gently with gusts of wind. However, there are other trees in our garden that are equal in size of this plant, and there are even bigger trees that overpower this plant, allowing it to easily be overlooked by human beings. This plant is called the Strelitzia nicolai and falls into the Strelitziaceae family. This plant is also known by other common names such as the white bird of paradise, the Natal wild banana, Natalse wildepiesang, isigude, igceba, inkamanga, isingude or isigoeba (University of Connecticut 2020; SANBI 2002). SANBI (2002) state the name Strelitzia was given to the species to honour Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III of England, and the name bird of paradise comes from the Strelitzia Reginae due to its orange and blue coloured flower that resembles a flying bird (Du Toit 2019). The Strelitzia nicolai is native to Zimbabwe, KwaZulu-Natal and Botswana and it thrives in evergreen coastal forests (University of Connecticut 2020). Interestingly, the bird of paradise is the floral emblem of the city of Los Angeles (Du Toit 2019).

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Like most Strelitzia nicolai, the one living in my garden is a fairly large plant that has even broken-down parts of the wall that it grew up next to (Allonsy [sa]). It also can be seen over the wall around my garden, its green leaves effortlessly draping over and onto the electric fence, and this white bird of paradise is as tall as the height of my home. The plant has tall, strong multi-stems that are greenish-brown and the plant is evergreen. The plant has large, banana-like glossy leaves that are also evergreen (SANBI 2002). The tallness of the plant with its large leaves creates a big area of shade. The specific Strelitzia nicolai in my garden has flowers that resemble a prehistoric crane-bird: the base of the flower is a dark blue/dark purple protective layer, and sharp-looking white sepals stick out of the top of the flower. The flowers (we currently only have three flowers that are in bloom) stand tall near the top of the plant, and unlike the eye-catching orange and blue coloured flowers of the Strelitzia Reginae, the flowers can easily be overlooked as they camouflage into the different tones of the plants leaves and stems. The white bird of paradise also grows fruits that resembles small bananas, and the fruits spilt to reveal black seeds.