This striking flora resembles a tropical bird and will give your garden a lot of style.
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Key Takeaways
Stunning doesn’t even begin to describe this tropical plant.
Bird of paradise is easier to grow than you might think.
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Here is what you oughta know about growing and caring for bird of paradise.
Plant Attributes
Bird of Paradise Care
Bird-of-paradise (Strelitziasp.)
thrives in partial shade with regular water.
Credit:Southern Living/Valerie de Leon
According toThe New Southern Living Garden Book,“Bird-of-paradise is a good planting for poolside.
The plants produce no litter and withstand some splashing.”
They’re also resistant to grazing deer and can withstand temperatures that drop below freezing.
Credit:Southern Living/Valerie de Leon
After frost,Strelitziaspecies do usually recover, though they can take their time in doing so.
This plant grows well in borders or beds outside.
Clump them for a big display or plant as a specimen plant.
Credit:Southern Living/Valerie de Leon
Bird of paradise performs best inorganic soilwith good drainage.
Plants grown in part shade will grow taller and have somewhat larger flowers.
In full sun, plants are smaller, but still bloom well.
Credit:Southern Living/Valerie de Leon
Bird of paradise tolerates some salt spray but avoid planting near the ocean.
Bird of paradise can also be grown as ahouseplant.
It needs bright light and direct sun.
Water regularly and add compost in the spring.
Fertilize every week during its growing season.
Bird of paradise will flower once mature somewhere between 3 to 5 years.
Southern Living/Valerie de Leon
Light
To grow bird of paradise, plant indirect light.
This plant is a tropical and needs warm soil, air, and sunshine.
It tolerates partial shade well, but shade can impact its size and shape.
Soil
Bird of paradise grow well in organic soil.
It will need more water during dry periods, but should not suffer from poor drainage.
Water
Provide plenty of water as a new plant is becoming established.
After that, bird of paradise prefers regular watering during the warm growing season.
During the winter months, water only when the soil is dry.
(Too little or too much water will cause leaves to yellow and die.)
The goal is to achieve and maintain maximum size without lush growth and need for dividing.
Cut off dead leaves and thin out any surplus growth.
Types of Birds of Paradise
S. nicolai.Giant bird of paradise.
Zone TS; USDA 10-11.
Clumping, treelike plant to 30 ft. tall and wide.
S. reginae.Bird of paradise.
Zones CS (protected), TS; USDA 9-11.
Blooms combining orange, blue, and white are borne on long, stiff stems.
Flowering is best in cooler seasons (though blooms appear year-round).
Benefits greatly from frequent, heavy feeding.
Divide infrequently, since large, crowded clumps bloom best.
Recovers slowly from frost damage.
Removing dead plant materials improves the look of the garden bed, too.
Propagating
Its easy to propagate new bird of paradise plants.
For best results, divide during late spring or early summer.
If the plant fails to produce any blooms, consider where it is planted.
Its probably more shaded than its ideal growing conditions require.
Move it to a spot that will receive at least four to six hours of sun each day.
Watch for and remove aphids, caterpillars, grasshoppers, scales and snails.
Flowers can be susceptible to leaf borer.
Fungal leaf can also occur, so remove any spent plant material to minimize.
This is also a great plant for container gardening.
Strelitzia reginae,also known as bird-of-paradise, is prized for its vibrant, unmistakable blooms.
Blooms combining orange, blue, and white are borne on long, stiff stems.“S.
reginaegrows to heights of 5- to 6-feet tall, and its leaves grow to 1- to 2-feet long.
It thrives in hardiness zones nine through 11.
North Carolina State University.Strelitzia reginae.
The Royal Household.Queen Charlotte (19 May 1744 - 17 November 1818).
