Wild Babana flowers in Johannesburg gardens

Here are some shots of some local wild bananas blooming in a Johannesburg gardens.

 In this one my hand is for scale. These things are of course as tall as trees. My hand here is as high I as I can reach (I was on tip-toes and I am tall).

Of course I cannot help but see the similarity with the Birds-of-paradise also blooming in Johannesburg gardens right now.

A closer look at the blooms at various stages of opening.

ADDED MUCH LATER (after buying a book about South Africa wild flowers at the 2nd hand bookstore): They are both members of the Strelitziaceae Family. There are only 5 species in South Africa and the birds of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) are native of South Africa.