Bird of Paradise

Find this plant special and unique? It has a very strong attraction towards me that I can't missed this plant along the roadsides, gardens and parks. I want to become like this plant, a person with strong character. In the past, I only know the chinese name "Tian Tang Niao" but unaware of it's english name. Siew told me this plant is called "Bird of Paradise".

Went to internet to research more on this plant.
"Strelitzia reginae is a monocotyledonous flowering plant indigenous to South Africa. Common names include Strelitzia, Crane Flower or Bird of Paradise"

The plant grows to 2 m tall, with large, strong leaves 25-70 cm long and 10-30 cm broad, produced on petioles up to 1 m long. The leaves are evergreen and arranged in two ranks, making a fan-shaped crown.

The flowers stand above the foliage at the tips of long stalks. The hard, beak-like sheath from which the flower emerges is termed the spathe. This is placed perpendicular to the stem, which gives it the appearance of a bird's head and beak; it makes a durable perch for holding the sunbirds which pollinate the flowers.

The flowers, which emerge one at a time from the spathe, consist of three brilliant orange sepals and three purplish-blue petals. Two of the blue petals are joined together to form an arrow-like nectary. When the sunbirds sit to drink the nectar, the petals open to cover their feet in pollen.

The meaning of this plant is Freedom, Magnificence, Good perspective."

I love freedom, that's the reason why I have this special likings for this plant :)