Strelitzia reginae 'Mandela's Gold' Plants GrowTropicals
Strelitzia reginae 'Mandela's Gold' — 17cm
Yellow bird of paradise

Strelitzia reginae 'Mandela's Gold'

£27.99
Sun-lover
Pot size
17cm £27.99

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Description

Strelitzia reginae 'Mandela's Gold' is the yellow bird of paradise: the same crane-like flower as the classic orange Strelitzia reginae, but in golden yellow with a purple-blue tongue, rising from a beak-like spathe above an upright clump of grey-green paddle leaves.

It flowers mainly from winter into spring, with the odd bloom at other times, and makes a compact clump of around 1m by 1m, smaller than the species. It sits with the rest of our bird of paradise plants.

Care

Give it bright light, including some direct sun; a sunny window or a bright conservatory suits it well. Water freely while it is growing and keep it drier in winter, in a mix that holds moisture but drains well. Keep it above 10°C, and in summer it can go out on the patio.

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All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

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How to care for Yellow bird of paradise

Let me bask in full sunshine.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Yellow bird of paradise

Strelitzia reginae 'Mandela's Gold' needs bright direct light and a minimum temperature of 10°C. It is harmful to pets and small children if eaten.

Light

ShadeFull sun

Bright, direct sun

Bright light, including some direct sun. A sunny window or conservatory suits it, and it can summer outside on a sunny patio. Read moreShow less

Bright light, including some direct sun. A sunny window or conservatory suits it, and it can summer outside on a sunny patio.

Temperature

Keep above 10°C · Happy at normal room temperature

Keep above 10°C (RHS H1b). Fine at normal room temperature. It can go outside once temperatures pass about 21°C; bring it in before nights fall towards 10°C. Read moreShow less

Keep above 10°C (RHS H1b). Fine at normal room temperature. It can go outside once temperatures pass about 21°C; bring it in before nights fall towards 10°C.

Can it go outside?

Patio friendlySummer outdoors

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Feeding

Feed monthly with a balanced fertiliser from spring to autumn, and let it rest over winter.

Soil & Substrate

A moisture-retentive but well-drained mix suits it, so the roots stay damp in growth without sitting wet.

Growth habit

Clumping →

Plant type

Foliage houseplant →

Toxicity

Harmful if chewed or swallowed. Keep it out of reach of pets and small children, and wash your hands after pruning.

Origins

The species comes from South Africa, from the Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal. This yellow selection was bred at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town from a few yellow plants and released in 1994.

Family

Strelitziaceae

Also known as

Strelitzia reginae 'Mandela's Gold'

Genus

Strelitzia
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Strelitzia reginae 'Mandela's Gold'?

A yellow-flowered selection of the bird of paradise. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden released it in 1994 as 'Kirstenbosch Gold' and renamed it 'Mandela's Gold' in 1996 in honour of Nelson Mandela. The RHS treats 'Kirstenbosch Gold' as the correct name, but 'Mandela's Gold' is the name most people know it by. For the classic orange form, see our Strelitzia reginae.

Is Strelitzia 'Mandela's Gold' an indoor plant?

Yes, in the UK. It is rated RHS H1b and needs a minimum of 10°C, so it lives indoors or in a conservatory for most of the year. From late spring to early autumn it can go out on a sunny, sheltered patio.

Where is the best place to put a yellow bird of paradise?

In bright light with some direct sun, such as a sunny window or conservatory, somewhere that stays above 10°C. In summer it can move outside to a sunny, sheltered spot.

Should I water a bird of paradise every day?

No. Water freely while it is growing in spring and summer and keep it drier in winter. A moisture-retentive but well-drained mix keeps the roots from sitting wet.

When does 'Mandela's Gold' flower?

Mainly from winter into spring, with occasional flowers at other times of year. Each flower opens from a beak-like spathe in golden yellow with a purple-blue tongue.

Is Strelitzia 'Mandela's Gold' toxic to pets?

Yes. The ASPCA lists it as toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten. The fruit and seeds cause mild nausea, vomiting and drowsiness, so keep it out of reach of pets.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 7 days with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Meet the family

Everything about Strelitzia

Bird of paradise plants need strong light and well-drained soil to thrive indoors in the UK. This guide covers everything from watering and repotting to getting yours to flower.

More about Strelitzia care
Strelitzia Care Guide | Bird of Paradise
Why Grow Tropicals

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