Strelitziaceae
A tropical plant family known for bird-of-paradise blooms and bold foliage
Strelitziaceae is a tropical and subtropical plant family native to southern Africa, Madagascar, and northern South America. Its members include the bird-of-paradise flower and the traveller's tree, which are cultivated in warm gardens and floristry for their striking blossoms and foliage.
- Comprises three genera and seven species across tropical and subtropical regions
- Includes the bird-of-paradise flower, widely cultivated for floral arrangements
- Shares a similar growth habit and look with the banana family, Musaceae
What does Strelitziaceae look like?
Plants in the Strelitziaceae family are monocots with broad foliage and structural shapes. They closely resemble plants in the banana family, Musaceae, as well as the Heliconiaceae group. Across the family, there are three distinct genera containing seven known species. Some produce remarkable, vibrant blossoms, most notably the bird-of-paradise plant. Other species in the group produce blooms that are less vibrant, but they are widely admired and cultivated instead for their impressive, bold green leaves and dramatic outlines.
Where does Strelitziaceae come from?
Plants belonging to Strelitziaceae grow naturally in warm tropical and subtropical territories. The family is spread across three isolated parts of the world. Five species of Strelitzia originate in southern Africa. A single species, the traveller's tree, grows wild on the island of Madagascar. The remaining single species in the genus Phenakospermum is native to northern South America. Historically, botanists sometimes placed these plants inside the banana family, Musaceae, before modern classifications recognized them as an independent family within the order Zingiberales.
How Strelitziaceae is used
People around the world grow members of the Strelitziaceae family in outdoor tropical and subtropical gardens. The bird-of-paradise flower, known botanically as Strelitzia reginae, is widely cultivated as an ornamental garden plant and is especially popular in commercial floristry for its architectural flowers. Gardeners also plant the traveller's tree, Ravenala madagascariensis, alongside various other Strelitzia species, purely to showcase their bold, architectural foliage in landscape designs.
Kinds of Strelitziaceae
The family contains three genera and seven species. Strelitzia has five species native to southern Africa, led by the colourful bird-of-paradise flower, Strelitzia reginae, while the other four are grown for foliage. Ravenala contains one species, Ravenala madagascariensis, the traveller's tree from Madagascar. Phenakospermum contains a single species native to northern South America.
Questions people ask about Strelitziaceae
Where are plants in the Strelitziaceae family found in the wild?
Members of the Strelitziaceae family grow naturally in tropical and subtropical zones. Specifically, they are native to southern Africa, the island of Madagascar, and northern South America.
How many species belong to the Strelitziaceae family?
The family contains seven species divided among three genera. These include five species in the genus Strelitzia, one species in Ravenala, and a single species in Phenakospermum.
What are Strelitziaceae plants grown for?
People cultivate them in tropical and subtropical gardens around the world. The bird-of-paradise flower is famous in floristry, while the traveller's tree and other species are grown for foliage.
Good reading and sources
- Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
- Plants of the World OnlineRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Plant database
- Where it has been recordedGBIF, Plant database
- Sightings and photos by naturalistsiNaturalist, Plant database
- Strelitziaceae on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Strelitziaceae", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryPhool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. It is not medical or foraging advice: many flowers are poisonous, and traditional uses are reported, not recommended. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.
Others in the family Strelitziaceae
The whole family
Strelitzia
Tall South African plants with fan-shaped leaves and striking bird-like blooms
🇿🇦 South Africa · Garden flower
Giant white bird of paradiseStrelitzia nicolai
A tall, banana-like plant with striking white and blue flowers
🇿🇦 South Africa and 5 more · Wildflower
Traveller's TreeRavenala madagascariensis
A grand fan-shaped plant from Madagascar with white blooms and vivid blue seeds
🇲🇬 Madagascar and 1 more · Flowering tree
More from Madagascar
All the flowers of Madagascar
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A diverse group of flowering plants often grown as garden and house plants
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A tropical tree with highly fragrant yellow flowers used for perfume and decoration
🇻🇳 Vietnam and 8 more · Flowering tree
Erica
Evergreen shrubs with tiny needle leaves and nodding flowers, known as heaths or heathers
🇿🇦 South Africa and 1 more · Wildflower
Stephanotis
A tropical climber with waxy, fragrant white flowers
🇲🇬 Madagascar · Climber