Bird-of-paradise and white bird-of-paradise both belong to the plant family Strelitziaceae. Be careful of drafts during the winter. Thinning is another way of cleaning up a bird of paradise. Take all leaves and stems back to just above the ground. Because it does not require full sun, bird of paradise can be grown as a houseplant. This is done for the same reasons as trimming, but the goals are more intensive and combined. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014. Birds of paradise are large, relatively easy to grow plants that lend a bold tropical flair to any indoor space. If it looks like it needs a little boost mid-summer, then do it again. Growing bird of paradise plants from seed can take three to 10 years, but propagating them by division produces new plants much more quickly. A Bird of Paradise that is trimmed in this way will normally grow back within 1-2 blooming seasons if treated with water and fertilizer. Do not use hedge trimmers on your Bird of Paradise because this can cause irreversible damage to the plant. Bird of Paradise flowers won’t naturally shed dead stems after the flower is removed, so it’s important to remove as much of the stem as possible. The inflorescence is composed of a dark blue bract, white sepals and a bluish-purple tongue. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. Q. Bird-of-Paradise Houseplant - My bird-of-paradise is 4 years old and has never bloomed. In colder climates, this plant will thrive in … The bird of paradise pruning should be done in early spring. The very popular birds of paradise houseplant. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Larger species like S. nicolai or S. alba grow up to 30 feet tall, which makes them difficult to grow in your home unless you live in a mansion with an enormous, well-lit foyer.. It will grow quite large outside, 20 to 30 feet tall and 10 feet wide, and will become ragged looking if not pruned often. Orange Bird Of Paradise features bold spikes of orange flowers with blue overtones rising above the foliage from late winter to late fall. Note: Picture is a guide only, plant size may differ from image. Even indoors, a Bird of Paradise plant can easily reach a height of 6ft-7ft. Remove dead flowers to the base of the plant and clean up any old vegetation that has dropped in or around the plant. This can form a compacted, hard ball that comes out of the pot with effort, retaining the shape of the pot. Remove new growth at the base of the plant. ... –> In terms of feeding, you can give your Bird Of Paradise a drink with a balanced organic liquid houseplant fertilizer in the spring. It is a crucial part of rejuvenating a neglected plant. However, keeping the bird of paradise plant indoor has become more popular in the last 30 years, and the care for it is most essential. Use loppers, hand pruners or a pruning saw, but never hedge trimmers which will make rough cuts and leave ragged, damaged edges. You can also apply a 2″ layer of organic compost &/or worm castings in the spring. 65⁰F to 75⁰F temperature range is ideal. Sign up for our newsletter. The plant is grown under sunlight, and therefore does not have to get used to a sunny spot at your home. Insufficient sunlight is the top reason that a bird of paradise inside doesn’t bloom. Feeding. Master using Zoom and feel more confident online. You can prune your Bird of Paradise easily when they’ve finished blooming! Need to know how to prune a bird of paradise? Prune it after the last frost if it is an outdoor plant. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. Bird of paradise pruning is a more serious affair. Always wear thick safety gloves when pruning because you will be working with sharp shears. Pruning Strelitzia. It’s not just their sheer size and impressive foliage but the plant’s namesake blooms. This plant likes to be crowded. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. Always be careful on the ladder! About the Bird of Paradise Plant . Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 52,292 times. Also, help answer other questions about General Gardening and Container Bird of Paradise Plants, and plants at GardeningKnowHow.com However, there are a few things to keep in mind to help them thrive in optimum condition: Flowering Bird of Paradise Varieties. It’s okay to begin pruning before all of the blooms on the plant have died. Propagation. The goals of bird of paradise pruning are to remove old plant matter, thin the leaves, and take out damaged stems. Here’s how to care for birds of paradise to keep them at their best. Last Updated: April 23, 2020 It is a trunk forming, clustering tree to 6m high with banana-like shiny green leathery leaves, having an obtuse base arranged in two ranks. It has a nice symmetrical shape and large oval-shaped canopy-type leaves. Often referred to as banana plant, since the leaves do have a very similar shape to those of a banana tree, Strelitzia is a much hardier choice to be kept as an indoor houseplant. They are called bird of paradise because of their resemblance to an exotic tropical bird. Keep in mind that your White Bird of Paradise will need some grooming. Strelitzia Nicolai (Giant white bird of paradise) is an ornamental house plant. If the plant isn’t growing well throughout the year, prune at least half of the stems to the ground to allow the plant to grow healthy. If it looks like it needs a little boost mid-summer, then do it again. You might need a friend or neighbor to hold it steady while you’re trimming to avoid getting hurt with the shears. Keep the clivia from exposure to excessive cold if it is a houseplant to prevent damage at the cut areas. For more tips from our Horticulturalist co-author, including how to keep Bird of Paradise plants safe during frosts, keep reading! A rootbound plant means that the roots have completely taken up the pot, often circling and creating a dense web of roots. What you need to know about bird of paradise Name: bird of paradise, strelitzia , crane flower, bird’s tongue flower (Strelitzia reginae) Plant type: evergreen, forms a trunkless clump Height: to around 1.2m tall by 2–3m wide with age Foliage: similar to a small banana leaf but on a stem, very rigid, green to grey-blue. There are five Strelitzia species. Dubbed the queen of houseplants, the bird of paradise is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in the world of indoor plants. % of people told us that this article helped them. Both Yellow and Mexican Bird of Paradise flowers should be pruned sparingly when flowers and stems begin to die. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! To increase humidity, run a humidifier, mist your plant every other day, or place it on a saucer of pebbles with a little water added. For more tips from our Horticulturalist co-author, including how to keep Bird of Paradise plants safe during frosts, keep reading! The Bird of Paradise flower is brightly colored with spiky-looking blooms that are eye catching and exciting in any garden. When using the saw, work slowly. It can be grown outdoors, as a landscape specimen in frost-free areas. This helps your plant to look clean and colorful year round! You may trim it here and there if it gets too crowded. The strelitzia group of plants have flowers which have colors which match the yellow, blue, and brown shades and hence the resemblance. This leaves no dead stems to mar the beauty of the plant. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Tight quarters. Always wear thick gardening gloves when pruning. By: Bonnie L. Grant, Certified Urban Agriculturist. What Are The Different Types Of Bird Of Paradise Plants, Feeding Bird Of Paradise Plants – How To Fertilize Bird Of Paradise Plants, What Are Loppers Used For: Tips On Using Garden Loppers For Pruning, Planting A Giving Garden: Food Bank Garden Ideas, Giving To Food Deserts – How To Donate To Food Deserts, December To-Do List – What To Do In December Gardens, Black Walnut Tree Compatible Plants: Plants That Grow Under Black Walnut Trees, Growing And Planting Smoke Trees In The Landscape, Information On How To Prune Roots On Houseplants, Recipes From The Garden: Pressure Cooking Root Vegetables, Gratitude For The Garden – Being Grateful For Each Growing Season, 7 Reasons To Do Your Garden Shopping Locally, Thankful Beyond Words – What Represents Gratefulness In My Garden. There’s nothing more exotic than an indoor bird of paradise, but growing a bird of paradise as a houseplant requires sun, quite a lot of it, in order to thrive and bloom. Red Bird of Paradise flowers are very hardy and can handle heavy pruning two times per year if the plant is healthy. The Bird of Paradise flower is brightly colored and can grow extremely large as long as you prune it after it has finished blooming. Generally speaking, there is very little pruning required for White Bird of Paradise plants. This will give you the space to clear out old foliage and let new growth begin. Bird of paradise pruning is a more serious affair. The anthurium's tube-shaped blooms sit atop long stalks and are dark pink. These instructions were very clear.". Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Always try to remove any dead foliage as close to the stump of the plant as possible to maintain the trimmed appearance of the plant. Larger leaves can be ragged from winds. Bird of Paradise Houseplant Care. Trimming is when you remove just a bit of the plant where it is damaged, dead, or diseased. If the center of the plant is still too crowded, use long handled pruners and remove selected stems and leaves. The Bird of Paradise is considered the queen of the indoor plant world. Look for brown, dead flowers, and cut the stem of these growths as close as possible to the base of the plant. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. These plants can easily grow to be up to 5 feet (1.5 m) in diameter, so refrain from planting other flowers in the surrounding area. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014. Pruning at this point will encourage new growth in the plant later in the season. If you hit a particularly dense area, use your pruning shears to pre-cut some of the stems to make the area a little easier to cut through. Don't over-water, as the plant doesn't need much moisture. If you have even 2 or 3 dead blooms, removing them can help the remaining flowers live longer. A south-facing or west-facing window is best. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. You can trim a bird of paradise at any point since you are only removing a small amount of plant matter, so damage potential is minimal. a lovely tropical looking houseplant. These flowers can grow to be extremely large, and they require regular maintenance to stay healthy. Bird of paradise can be cleaned up and trimmed at any point, but serious pruning should wait until early spring. Retain any leaves with more than 50% live tissue. There are five species in the plant genus Strelitzia, native to South Africa. 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