Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden, South Africa

Common name: Kraanvoëlblom, Crane flower, Geel piesang, Strelitzia 'Mandela's Gold', Yellow bird-of-paradise, Yellow crane flower

Family: Strelitziaceae (Bird-of-paradise flower)

Distribution: Southern Africa

IUCN Red list: Not evaluated

National red list: Least Concern

Comments: At Kirstenbosch in the 1970s, there were 7 yellow plants in the nursery.The curator began a project to increase the stock. It took nearly 20 years of careful selection and hand-pollination, and in 1994 the original stock had been built up enough to enable us to introduce the yellow strelitzia to horticulture. It was released and traded under the name 'Kirstenbosch Gold' until 1996 when the NBI was granted permission to re-name it in honour of Nelson Mandela.