City Birds of Paradise

As much as Brisbane is paradise, and does have great Birds to use the colloquial for attractive women, I'm actually talking about something different. My favourite flowering plant is the Bird of Paradise, or Strelitzia Reginae. This particular photo was taken around the garden beds on the footpath near the intersection of Market and Charlotte Streets. The reason why its called the Bird of Paradise should be obvious due to its appearance like a bird's head and beak.

Indigenous to South Africa, the plant was introduced to Australia. All over the world the flower is symbolic of the tropics, but most residents of Brisbane will be familiar with it growing in local gardens. I've got two at my place, but they haven't quite reached this level. The plant grows to around 2 metres tall with broad strong leaves and stalks about 1 metre long. The flowers stand above the foliage at the tips of the stalks.


I love how there are flower beds and greenery dotted all around the city. Rather than just being a concrete jungle, you can always find pockets of greenery and tracks of grass where you can sit and escape. On top of this, you have the fantastic City Botanic Gardens as a feature of the city. What's not to love!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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