The conservancy that I’m developing in West Delray Beach, FL, is destined to be (if I have anything to say about it) one of the largest and best-curated palm tree collections in the world. It also features a growing collection of outdoor sculptures, a traditionally styled Japanese tea house, a Zen Garden, and a Yoga/Jiu Jitsu House in the shade of a little bamboo forest. Not to mention a stock of African cycads, dozens of other exotic plants and trees, and one of Florida’s highest “mountains” at nearly 20 feet!

This is one of those exotic plants:

Bird of Paradise

Also known as Crane Flower and Bird’s-Tongue Flower 

Binomial name: Strelitzia reginae

The Bird of Paradise is a perennial, native to South Africa, that is related to the banana. It is stunning, distinctive, and beautiful. It grows to over six feet, and is designed to support the weight of birds that stop to drink the nectar. It has become a common ornamental plant in places that feature a warm climate year-round, like here in South Florida. But with enough light, it can be grown indoors.

For more information about Paradise Palms, click here.