Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve
KwaZulu-Natal · Year-round
1 place
Trees & flora
Wild Banana
Strelitzia nicolai
Strelitzia nicolai, commonly known as the giant white bird of paradise or wild banana, is a species of banana-like plants with erect woody stems reaching a height of 6 m (20 ft) and the clumps formed can spread as far as 3.5 m (11 ft).
Species insights
When to visit
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Best monthsAny month
Records3,764 records
Curve from 3,764 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Where you'll find it
KwaZulu-Natal and beyond
Provinces where Wild Banana is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
3,764 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Wild Banana
Stays that give back
Across South Africa
Villa Coloniale
Constantia, Cape Town
From R 3,350a night
Wild Banana recorded here
Vernon Crookes
Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve
From R 480a night
Wild Banana recorded here
Oribi Gorge
Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve
From R 120a night
Wild Banana recorded here
Umlalazi
Umlalazi Nature Reserve
From R 230a night
Wild Banana recorded here
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When and where to find the Wild Banana
Hosts have recorded the Wild Banana at stays in or beside Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve, uMlalazi Nature Reserve and Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve.
Species
Strelitzia nicolai
Records
3,764
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Wild Banana on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Wild Banana in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Wild Banana at stays in or beside Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve, uMlalazi Nature Reserve and Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Wild Banana in South Africa?
The Wild Banana is most recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (77% of records), Eastern Cape (22% of records), based on 3,764 iNaturalist observations. 4 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Wild Banana on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Wild Banana?
The Wild Banana is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep; uMlalazi Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr; Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve: Spring and summer, Sep-Mar. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Wild Banana?
Strelitzia nicolai, commonly known as the giant white bird of paradise or wild banana, is a species of banana-like plants with erect woody stems reaching a height of 6 m (20 ft) and the clumps formed can spread as far as 3.5 m (11 ft).
