Bring Tropical Drama Home With This Bold, Leafy Houseplant (and Learn How to Keep It Thriving)
If your garden—or living room—could use a little tropical flair, the bird of paradise plant delivers instant drama. With oversized, banana-like leaves and flowers that look like exotic birds mid-flight, this showstopper turns heads wherever it grows. Native to South Africa but beloved worldwide, bird of paradise thrives outdoors in warm climates and makes a striking houseplant elsewhere. Here’s everything you need to know about caring for bird of paradise plants, from potting and placement to encouraging those legendary blooms.
About Bird of Paradise
Bird of paradise (Strelitzia) is associated with tropical scenes worldwide, though it is native to South Africa. They are often used as landscape plants in warmer regions of the United States, such as Hawaii, southern California, or Florida. They are the official flower of the City of Los Angeles!
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 the foliage!
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 may burn.
Bird of Paradise Flowers
The bird of paradise gets 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 dark blue.
These plants can produce dozens of long-lasting blooms throughout the year in ideal conditions (i.e., proper lighting, watering, and temperatures).
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Growing
- This plant grows best in temperatures between 65° and 70°F (18° to 21°C).
- Thoroughly wet the soil when watering. Allow the soil to dry slightly before watering again.
- The plant prefers moderate humidity, which may require daily misting with a humidifier during the winter months.
- Fertilize every 2 weeks in the spring and then every week through the end of summer. Fertilize monthly in the fall and winter.
- Early spring is the best time to repot a plant that has outgrown its pot.
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 blue petals.
- 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 on the orange bird of paradise.
- 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 with dark blue.
Photo: CarlosHerrerosfotografia
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Yes, you can transplant bird of paradise! Just be careful while digging around the plant and try not to damage the roots too much.
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 produce flowers.
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