Bird of paradise is a superb plant, boasting simply magnificent flowers and nicely dense leafage.
Basic Bird of Paradise facts
Name – Strelitzia reginae
Family – Strelitziaceae
Type – perennial
Height – 3 to 10 feet (1 to 3 m)
Exposure – full sun, part sun
Soil – ordinary
Foliage – evergreen
Flowering – May to September
This flower only rarely blooms in our homes, but when it does, you’ll immediately understand where it got its “Bird of Paradise” name!
Bird of paradise (Strelitzia) is sensitive to frost and can only be planted directly in the ground in regions with mild enough winters.
It normally lives in the warmer regions of the globe that offer rather tropical growing conditions and must be grown in pots and brought indoors in winter if this isn’t the case.
If the bird of paradise is well planted and its location suitable, it will only require little care.
No pruning is actually necessary except if you wish to balance the shrub out.
If it was planted in the ground outdoors, it means your climate will allow for it, and so there isn’t much to do except to protect the plant if ever temperatures drop.
In pots and in areas where winters are quite cold, proceed with bringing the plant inside to a spot where the temperatures stay cool.
In summer, when the weather is hot, it is important to water bird of paradise often, especially when grown in pots.
This very beautiful shrub offers a unique yellow and violet blooming that looks like an elegant bunch of arrow tips.
Native to South Africa, it naturally prefers rather warm climate if growing in the ground, otherwise you can plant it in a container and bring it in in winter.
Its natural environment is around bodies of water, which is why it requires a certain amount of soil moisture to thrive.
Watering must be regular but amounts must stay moderate during the entire blooming season.
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To increase blooming, you can add organic fertilizer in spring and renew the application once in summer.
