How to Grow Bird of Paradise: The Compete Bird of Paradise Flower Guide (2025)

Table of Contents

Planting, Growing, and Caring for Bird of Paradise Plants About Bird ofParadise Bird of ParadiseFlowers Planting Growing Types Wit and Wisdom Pests/Diseases 20 Easy-to-Grow Perennial Flowers for Beginners How to Care for Croton How to Care for Lavender in Winter How to Bring Outdoor Plants Indoors Thanksgiving Weather Forecast 2024—With U.S. Travel Map How to Grow Paperwhites References

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Photo Credit

Pixabay

Botanical Name

Strelitzia spp.

Plant Type

Flower

Sun Exposure

Full Sun

Part Sun

Bloom Time

Varies

Flower Color

Blue

Multicolor

Orange

Pink

Red

White

Yellow

Hardiness Zone

Planting, Growing, and Caring for Bird of Paradise Plants

Catherine Boeckmann

April 15, 2024

Are you looking to give your garden a tropical vibe? The regal Bird of Paradise plant, with its large leaves and magnificent flowers, is just what you need. Here’s how to care for Bird of Paradise plants—from potting to promotingblooms!

About Bird ofParadise

Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia) are associated with tropical scenes worldwide, though they are native to South Africa.They are often used as landscape plants inwarmer regions of theUnited States, such as Hawaii, southern California, or Florida. They are the official flower of the City of LosAngeles!

These plants can be grown indoors in colder climates as an attractive (quite large) houseplant. Most strelitzia will not bloom indoors, but we are really here for thefoliage!

Place these plants in a sunny spot in the home and bring them outdoors during the warmer months, but be sure to acclimate them to the stronger sunlight, or their foliage mayburn.

Bird of ParadiseFlowers

The Bird of Paradisegets its common name from its stunning, brightly-colored flower, which resembles a bird in flight. The most common species of Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) produces an orange and blue flower; the less-common White Bird of Paradise (S. nicolai)has white flowers highlighted with darkblue.

These plants can produce dozens of long-lasting blooms throughout the year in ideal conditions (i.e., proper lighting, watering, andtemperatures).

Planting

Bird of Paradiseplants preferto be slightly pot-bound, so use a container that offers only 1-2 inches of space between the roots and wall of the pot. This encouragesblooming.
Plant ina well-draining potting mix. The potting medium should be allowed to dry out to some extent between waterings; using a well-draining mix helps to ensure that the soil doesn’t remainwet.
Do not plant too deeply. Expose the top of the roots to encourageflowering.
Bird of Paradise prefers full sun but will tolerate indirectlight.

Growing

This plant grows best in temperatures between 65° and70°F (18° to21°C).
Thoroughly wet the soil when watering. Allow the soil to dry slightly before wateringagain.
The plant prefers moderate humidity, which may require daily misting with a humidifier during the wintermonths.
Fertilize every 2 weeks in the spring and then every week through the end of summer. Fertilize monthly in the fall andwinter.
Early springis the best time to repot a plant that has outgrown itspot.

Types

Orange Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) is the most recognizable type of Bird of Paradise. Each flower has 3 orange sepals and 3 blue petals.
- The variety ‘Mandelas’s Gold’ has yellow sepals and bluepetals.
Juncea Bird of Paradise (S. reginae var. juncea) is a variety of the orange Bird of Paradise. It produces smaller flower and the spear-like leaves grow from the base at the soil line. The flowers appear on a stalk, as they do onthe orange Bird ofParadise.
White Bird of Paradise (S. nicolaiis)is an enormous species that’s often used as a landscape plant in tropical climates. It may reach heights of up to 30 feet! As its name suggests, this species produces a lovely white flower highlighted withdarkblue.

Wit and Wisdom

The Bird of Paradise plant is also known as the CraneFlower.
When not in bloom, this plant has large, blade-like leaves that resemble those ofa banana tree. In warm climates, they can make for stunning landscape plants that foster a truly tropicalvibe.
Georgia O’Keefe painted white Bird of Paradise during her time in Hawaii in the 1940s. It has become one of her most famous paintings from thattime.

Pests/Diseases

Bird of Paradise may have trouble with scale insects, mealybugs, whiteflies, and aphids.
Root rot can occur from potting soil that does not drain enoughor fromoverwatering.

Flowers

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

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I discovered a BOP growing in my shrub. Roots exposed and a flower. Can I pull it out and plant it?

Yes, you can transplant bird of paradise! Just be careful while digging around the plant and try not to damage the roots toomuch.

Does BOP need to be post bound to Bloom? Mine is about 3 years and has never bloomed.

Bird of paradise doesn’t need to be pot bound, but some folks report that it flowers more readily when its roots are a bit restricted. The main reason why bird of paradise don’t bloom is insufficient lighting. They need to be exposed to bright light year round in order to produceflowers.

I have had a bird of paradise for several years and have yet to see a flower. I am in NC so keep it in the greenhouse in the winter and out in the summer. What is my problem?

maybe the soil lacks a certain nutrient needed for the Bird Paradise flower~

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