What is the scientific name of the bird of paradise flower?

The scientific name of the bird of paradise flower is Strelitzia reginae. This striking flowering plant is native to South Africa, especially the Cape Provinces and KwaZulu-Natal, but it is now cultivated in warm climates and grown as a houseplant in cooler regions.

Its common name comes from the orange-and-blue flower’s resemblance to the plumage and profile of a bird of paradise. The flowers emerge from a boat-shaped green bract, or spathe, creating the appearance of a brightly colored bird taking flight. It belongs to the Strelitziaceae family, rather than the true bird-of-paradise bird family.

Botanist Joseph Banks formally described the species in 1788. The name reginae means “of the queen” and honors Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of King George III. That royal connection explains why the plant’s Latin name refers to a queen.

A common mix-up is confusing Strelitzia reginae with Strelitzia nicolai, the larger white-flowered species sometimes called the giant bird of paradise. The flower in this question is the familiar orange-flowered crane flower.