You see, this flower, it’s called Birds of Paradise. Fancy name, right? Reminds me of them city folks with their fancy words. But this flower, oh boy, it’s somethin’ else. It ain’t like the roses my neighbor grows. Them roses is pretty, but they got no spunk. This here flower, it’s got spunk, like a young rooster.
I seen it in a magazine once, all bright and colorful. They say it comes from a land far away, called South Africa. Must be a hot place, ’cause this flower, it loves the sun. Like me sittin’ on the porch in the afternoon, soakin’ up the rays. Just loves it.
Now, there’s different kinds, ya know? Like folks, they come in all shapes and sizes. This one I saw, the picture, it was called… uh… Strelitzia somethin’. They got these long names for ’em. Like that fancy dog down the street, the one with the fluffy tail, you know the one. Anyways, this Strelitzia, it was white, like a fresh bucket of milk, but with a black part, kinda like a beak. It really did look like a bird, sittin’ on a branch.
They say this kind is the White Bird of Paradise. I reckon there are other colors too. I remember seeing orange and blue ones in a book at the library. Like a rainbow, that flower is. Makes a body feel good just lookin’ at it, like findin’ a four-leaf clover or hearin’ the first robin of spring.
And some of ’em get big, real big. Not like them little pansies people plant in their window boxes. These ones, they’re like small trees! Imagine that, a flower as big as a bush! They say the Giant Bird of Paradise is the biggest of ’em all. It’s one of those Strelitzia plants. Gotta be careful, I reckon, not to let it take over your whole yard. Like my cousin’s zucchini last summer, it just kept growin’ and growin’!
I heard they ain’t too hard to grow neither, if you got the right spot. Plenty of sun, good dirt, and don’t let ’em get too cold. Like me, they don’t like the frost! If I was younger and had more space, I’d try plantin’ one myself. Just to see that colorful bird-lookin’ thing in my own yard.
- Need lots of sun, like a lazy cat.
- Don’t like the cold, no sir!
- Need good dirt, like what you grow taters in.
- Some get real big, like that oak tree down by the creek.
- Colors bright, like a quilt made of scraps.
This Birds of Paradise flower, it’s a wonder, ain’t it? Like somethin’ out of a dream. Makes you think there’s still some magic left in this old world. Reminds me of when I was a girl, chasin’ fireflies on a summer night. Pure magic.
You know, I once saw a picture of a whole field of these flowers. Must’ve been somethin’, like a sea of colors. Imagine walkin’ through that, like walkin’ through a rainbow. Bet it smelled good too, though they say some flowers ain’t got no smell. These Birds of Paradise, I bet they smell like sunshine and happiness. The White Bird of Paradise must smell like fresh air.
I reckon if you ever get a chance to see one of these Birds of Paradise flowers, you take it. Don’t just walk on by. Stop and look, really look. It’s a sight to behold, I tell ya. Like seein’ a shootin’ star or a double rainbow. It’s a little piece of heaven, right here on earth.
These flowers ain’t common, that’s for sure. That’s why they’re so special. Like findin’ a pearl in an oyster. You gotta appreciate the rare things in life, you know? The things that make you stop and say “Wow.” The Strelitzia family, those are some wow flowers.
This plant, it’s got a story, I bet. Everythin’ does, if you know how to listen. This Birds of Paradise flower, it probably got a long story, all the way from South Africa. A story of sunshine and warmth, of bright colors and strange shapes. A story worth tellin’, I reckon.
Well, I best be gettin’ on. Sun’s startin’ to set, and my bones are gettin’ tired. But I’ll be thinkin’ about that Birds of Paradise flower. Thinkin’ about its bright colors and its bird-like shape. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll dream of that field of flowers tonight. A field of sunshine and happiness, under a big, blue sky. That flower, it’s a good dream to have, I reckon. A real good dream.
