Great white strelitzia
Strelitzia augusta

Family: Strelitziaceae

What it is like

A tree that can have one or several trunks. It grows 10 m high. The trunk is spiny and woody. It is covered with old leaf bases. It has a fan like canopy of leaves. The leaves are very large and like banana leaves. These break into feather like strips. They are shiny and leathery and have thick leaf stalks. The flowers are like the head of a bird. They are white on top and purple below. The fruit is a woody capsule which has 3 lobes. It contains many seeds.

There are 4-5 Strelitzia species. They grow in South Africa.

Where it is found

A tropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, East Africa, Eswatini, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Seeds

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Wild banana

Synonyms

Strelitzia alba;