After the Rain

Bird of Paradise with rain drops still glistening.

Birds for Miss Birdie

Bird of Paradise, Strelitzia reginae with droplets from last nights rain. It rained last night and the air smells oh so fresh (for once). No smog in sight. Just droplets of rain on everything, that wonderful, moist, clean air and a fresh, bright new crop of bird of paradise! In the background is my trusty fig tree...

According to our friends at Wikipedia, Strelitzia reginae is indigenous to South Africa where it is pollinated by Sunbirds! When the Sunbird perches on that bright blue spathe to drink the nectar, the spathe opens to cover his/her feet in pollen. How's that for co-evolution. It means that they don't get pollinated here very often. No Sunbird, no pollination. The scientific name, Strelitzia, commemorates Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, queen consort of King George III.