This is a striking feature plant with upright needle-like leaves, growing from 1 to 2 m in height and producing large orange or yellow flowers borne on long, cylindrical scapes from May to October.

Description
A perennial herb, producing thick fleshy roots and upright needle-like leaves. S. juncea does not multiply by suckering from the base of the stem, but subdivision takes place between the middle leaves of each fan. The species is slow growing and takes 3-4 years to flower. Grown under ideal conditions S. juncea is floriferous and long-lived. Although the leaves are very different, flowers resemble those of the more commonly cultivated Strelitzia reginae.

Distribution and Habitat
S. juncea occurs naturally near Uitenhage, Patensie and just north of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. These populations of S. juncea grow amongst drought-resistant shrubs such as Euphorbia, Cotyledon, Encephalartos horridus and Pelargonium, which indicates that it is able to survive on very little water. Provided it is grown in a well-drained soil, S. juncea adapts well to a high rainfall but requires full sun to flower well. This species can withstand light frost.

Derivation of name and historical aspects
Strelitzia reginae arrived in England in 1733 and was named after Queen Sophia Charlotte, the wife of George the 3rd of England. She was a princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, hence the genus Strelitzia. The species name juncea is derived from the Latin, juncus, meaning rush, a reference to its rush-like appearance.

In the past S. juncea was regarded as a variety of S. parvifolia or as a variety of S. reginae until evidence was produced in 1974 by Dr van de Venter (Dyer 1975) to confirm the specific status of S. juncea. Intermediate forms exist between S. reginae and S. juncea. After extensive studies Dr van de Venter came to the conclusion that there are genetic differences between these two species and the intermediate forms could be hybrids between the two species.

Ecology
In its natural habitat, S. juncea is pollinated by sunbirds mainly and sugarbirds. Grown in areas where these pollinators do not exist, it is necessary to hand-pollinate the flowers, always cross pollinating to ensure a good seed set. In nature the seed is dispersed by birds.

Uses and cultural aspects
As a garden subject S. juncea is an ideal accent plant or planted to form a bold group which requires little attention. The flowers are also ideal for cutflowers.

Growing Strelitzia juncea

A well-drained soil is essential for the successful cultivation of this species, full sun for maximum flowering and applications every winter of a generous layer of compost as a mulch, which is a form of feeding .

Propagation is by means of seed and division of the fans which will take a year to re-establish. Best results from seed can be obtained by sowing fresh seed in spring. Before sowing, remove the bright orange tuft of hairs attached to the seed (aril of each seed) and soak in a solution of ethrel at a concentration of 2000 ppm active constituent. This entails making up 6 ml ethrel (39.5% active ingredient) to a litre of water. Soak the seed for 48 hours, then remove from the solution and sow at a depth of one and a half times the size of the seed. A constant temperature of 25 ºC is most suitable for germination. Squirrels, mice and birds are a problem and the seed needs to be protected on the plant from squirrels and once sown, birds and mice need to be kept out by protecting the seed trays with netting.

References and further reading

• Batten, A. & Bokelmann, H. 1966. Wild flowers of the eastern Cape Province. Books of Africa, Cape Town.
• Dyer, R.A. 1975. The status of Strelitzia juncea (Strelitziaceae). Bothalia 11: 519, 520.
• Dyer, R.A. 1980. Strelitzia juncea. The Flowering Plants of Africa 46: t. 1804.

Information provided by:
 John Winter
Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden
September 2004