Bird Of Paradise Plant Care: Strelitzia Growing Guide
Its bright, bold, exotic flowers make this striking accent plant easily recognizable. I lived in Santa Barbara, CA, where these plants are common, for ten years, and had a few growing in my garden. This details Bird Of Paradise plant care, mainly outdoors, with a brief section on growing it as a houseplant.
In Southern California, this plant is ubiquitous in the ground and containers. It’s common but loved nonetheless, so much so that it’s the official flower of Los Angeles.
I now live in Tucson, AZ, and occasionally see it in containers and planters. This isn’t its ideal growing climate, but that doesn’t stop it from being planted. The Yellow Bird Of Paradise and Red Bird Of Paradise (a different genus) are more suited for growing in the desert.
- Botanical Name: Strelitzia Reginae
- Common Name: Bird Of Paradise, Orange Bird of Paradise, Crane Flower, Crane Plant
Note: This post was published on 6/8/2016. It was updated on 2/16/2024.
Bird of Paradise Plant Care Guide
Bird Of Paradise Traits
Size
This subtropical/tropical clumping evergreen perennial can reach 4-6′ tall by 6-8′ wide in warm climates. It grows densely and reaches the size of a shrub, so space is needed for mature plants. Depending on the pot’s dimensions, the size is more restricted when growing in containers.
Uses
Many! Bird Of Paradise plants grow alongside sidewalks and streets, by the sea, poolside, in parking strips, container plantings, and in many gardens. It adds tropical vibes to any landscape.
Flowers
The orange and blue Bird Of Paradise flowers are the big draw for most. They’re long-lasting, on the plant and as cut flowers. More on BOP Flowering in a section further down.
Hardiness
They’re hardy to 25-30 degrees F. The Bird Of Paradise grows in USDA zones 10-12 and in zone 9 with protection from prolonged freezes. You can grow it outdoors in the warmer months and move it indoors when temperatures drop.
Bird Of Paradise Plants Outdoors
Light Requirements
The Bird Of Paradise grows the best and blooms the most in bright light. Full sun is fine along the coast of SoCal, where the maritime layer is prevalent.
It prefers partial shade inland and in places with blazing hot summers, like where I live in the Arizona desert.
Watering A Bird Of Paradise
The Bird Of Paradise looks and does the best with regular water – not too wet or too dry. Don’t give it a few splashes now and then, but a deep watering every 2-3 weeks in the warm growing season.
Southern California was experiencing a drought when I left in 2016. The foliage of this plant was not looking like it did pre-drought years. It was smaller and curled and brown on the edges.
New plants require more water than mature plants. Once plants are established, you can establish a watering schedule based on your environmental conditions.
Humidity
This tropical plant prefers high humidity. Along the California coast, in Florida and Hawaii, they get the humidity they like. Here in Tucson and Phoenix, they look less “robust” due to the dry air.
Feeding
They appreciate regular feeding during the growing season. Most of the ones that grew in public areas around Santa Barbara and other areas of SoCal didn’t get any. They looked good but would have benefited from a monthly feeding from early spring through early fall.
I never fertilized mine but fed them with a generous top dressing of organic compost, which also helped conserve moisture. If yours isn’t looking tip-top or the blooms are scarce, apply a balanced fertilizer like 5-5-5 or 10-10-0.
Soil
The Bird Of Paradise isn’t too fussy as to soil, as evidenced by the wide variety of places it grows in. However, It prefers a loamy, somewhat rich mix and needs good drainage.
Growing it in pots, a good quality potting soil with an amendment like pumice worked in, will aid drainage and aeration. It would appreciate compost, manure, or worm compost added for nourishment.
Repotting/Transplanting
Spring and summer are the best times to do this.
If you’re doing this for the first time, be warned: this plant has a dense, vigorous root ball. Crowded clumps bloom best, so don’t rush to transplant it.
You can repot yours as it grows. Once a plant has reached maturity and the pot size is proportional to the size of the plant, leave it. I saw large clumps in large pots growing all over SoCal, and they were doing fine and happily blooming away.
Pests
I’ve only seen them with mealybugs, but I have read that they can also be susceptible to scale and spider mites. A good blast with the garden hose will send those pests flying. Just be sure to get the undersides of the leaves and in the nodes as well.
A homemade spray with mild, natural dish soap and water will also help. If the infestation has worsened, neem oil and insecticidal soap are good options.
Pruning
Bird Of Paradise doesn’t require much regular pruning at all. You’ll want to remove the dead flowers, leaves, and unsightly foliage. Make sure your pruners are clean and sharp so you get even cuts.
Just be sure to take the stems down as close to the base of the plant as you can. You want to do the same with the dead flower stalks. Having dead stalks sticking up isn’t a good look!
Propagation
Spring through early summer is the best time to do this. That said, my neighbor divided his in late fall, and it did fine.
Division is the fastest way of propagating Bird Of Paradise plants. Crowded clumps bloom best, so don’t rush to divide a young plant. The root ball is strong, dense, and tough, so be prepared if you do divide one!
Bird Of Paradise Flowering
The crested orange flowers with accents of blue are what this plant is grown for, both in the landscape and commercially. The flowers are long-lasting on the plant as well as in floral arrangements.
When you plant a small Bird Of Paradise, don’t be surprised if it doesn’t flower for the 1st few years. Young plants don’t bloom.
As the plant ages, flowering increases. Don’t rush to divide because it blooms better when crowded.
It blooms the heaviest, in Southern California anyway, fall through spring and intermittently throughout the summer.
Are you asking how do I get my Bird Of Paradise to bloom? The most common reasons yours isn’t blooming are the plant isn’t old enough and the light is insufficient. Crowded clumps bloom best.
Bird Of Paradise Leaves
The green paddle-like leaves can develop brown edges due to too much or too little water, lack of humidity, or water quality.
Some of the older leaves get ratty due to strong wind. Split leaves are more common with the Giant Bird Of Paradise, but this one has them too. It’s how these plants grow – the leaves slit as they open.
If yours is growing indoors and the leaves are turning yellow, it’s usually due to the soil being kept too wet and/or the soil being too heavy.
Bird Of Paradise Outdoors in Pots
This plant does great in pots. As the plant grows and spreads, it’ll need a large pot to accommodate the vigorous root ball.
Just make sure the pot has drainage holes so excess water can flow out. They don’t like to sit in soggy soil.
Remember, a Bird Of Paradise with a crowded root ball blooms the best, so don’t repot yours yearly.
Bird of Paradise Plant Care Indoors
I’ve never grown this as an indoor plant. I have been growing a Strelitzia nicolai (The Giant Bird Of Paradise or White Bird Of Paradise) in my home in Tucson for two years, and the care is the same. Here are a few tips.
High light is the key. Give the Bird Of Paradise as much natural light as possible – it needs this brighter light for foliage and flower production. Be sure to rotate your plant (unless it gets light from all sides) so it grows evenly. Near but not in west-facing windows (no touching hot glass) is best.
Just like outdoors, it likes to grow crowded, so don’t rush to do any repotting. By keeping it potbound, you’ll get much better blooms.
You want to keep it slightly moist by giving it regular water. Back off on the watering in the cooler, darker months, allowing it to dry out before doing it again. This plant is susceptible to root rot, so don’t keep it “mushy.”
If many of the leaf edges are turning brown, one cause could be water quality. This plant is susceptible to a build-up of minerals in tap water. Try using filtered, rain, or distilled water. I have an under-sink tankless r/o system in my kitchen, which I use to water all my houseplants.
Our homes tend to be dry. You can create a more humid environment with a small humidifier nearby. Some like to use a saucer filled with pebbles and water and set the grow pot on top (ensure no roots stay soaked). An occasional misting a couple of times a week would also be appreciated.
You want to plant it in a nice, rich potting mix. A few handfuls of coco coir, pumice, and compost.
Make sure there’s at least one drainage hole on the bottom of the pot so the excess water can flow out. Don’t let your plant sit in a water-filled saucer.
In terms of feeding, you can give your Bird Of Paradise a drink with a balanced organic liquid houseplant fertilizer in spring. If it needs a little boost, do it monthly through the end of summer. We have a long growing season here, so I feed my Giant Bird Of Paradise 6 to 7 times a year. In the spring, you can apply a 2″ layer of organic compost and/or worm castings. This works slower, but the effects last longer.
It’s a good idea to clean the plant’s leaves every now and then. If you can’t put it in the shower or outside in the rain, then wipe the foliage with a dampened soft cloth now and then.
This plant is considered to be toxic. You can read about the degree of toxicity on the ASPCA website.
Bird Of Paradise Plant Care Video Guide
Birds Of Paradise Plant Care FAQs
It’ll tolerate shade, but the foliage will be smaller and the stems more stretched. Plus, it needs bright light to bloom.
My experience with this plant is with growing it outside. If yours grows indoors, you can put it outside for the warmer months. Just make sure to bring it back indoors before the temps dip below freezing.
Take them off, stem and all. You want to prune the stems back to the base of the plant.
In conclusion, This stunning accent plant is easy to care for outdoors (it’s one tough puppy) but is a little more of a challenge indoors. The big draw is the bold tropical foliage and bright, long-lasting blooms. It certainly will bring a touch of tropical beauty into your home or garden!
Happy gardening,
- About the Author
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Nell, the founder of Joy Us garden, was born into a gardening family and grew up in Connecticut’s countryside. After living in Boston, New York, San Francisco, & Santa Barbara, she now calls the Arizona desert home. She studied horticulture & garden design, working in the field all her life. Nell is a gardener, designer, blogger, Youtube creator, & author. She’s been gardening for a very long time & wants to share what she’s learned with you.
Hi Nell,
I am PJ in Houston. I have several beautiful Giant Bird of Paradise plants (trees!) My largest is 20 feet tall and produces gorgeous white flowers. I want to give some of the babies to friends. I am having a hard time finding really good instructions for dividing these plants. I would love a good video on this process even if you use the regular Bird of paradise to illustrate the process.
thanks!!
PJ
Hi Pj – The Giant Bird Of Paradise is a beautiful plant. I moved from California to Arizona in June & miss my 20′ GBOP. I don’t have any BOP’s or GBOP’s here so unfortunately I can’t do a video for you. The GBOP is much harder to divide than the regular BOP because it’s so much bigger & tougher. You need a very sharp knife & a very sharp shovel to do it. And, you need to get a fair amount of the roots with the division. As someone once said, it may be easier to buy a new one than to try to divide it! Nell
How can you tell when it is pot bound enough to transplant into next size pot? I live in zone 8 and mine is in its original pot after 2 yrs of planting pot in the ground and digging up in late fall to go in garage for winter protection I would think it needs to be transplanted but want to be sure. It bloomed for me last winter in the garage. So beautiful and simply astonishing plants. My son bot this one for me as a Mother’s Day gift since I had been looking for one. The next yr, he brought me some seeds from Hawaii, they are so kewl looking!
Hi Cindy – Bird Of Paradise bloom better when kept slightly pot bound. It’s best to transplant them in spring or summer. Transplanting depends on the size of the plant, the size of the pot it’s in & how fast it’s growing. Generally every 2-4 years does it. Nell
Hi Nell, Can you tell me what kind of light bulb I need for my plants. I have 4 birds of paradise plants in the corners of my sunroom
Ironically the windows are e glass and block out uv light. I put an overhead fixture above each one and have been using a led bulb with 11 red and 4 blue lights. The plants are green, never have bloomed but that’s ok. They are leggy with few smaller leaves on them. Should I go with more blue lights or red?! These plants are my babies . I’ve had them for 6 years and just want them to be happy!! Thanks for your advice!
Hi – I honestly don’t have experience with growing plants under artificial light. All I can recall is that the optimum light for flowering plants would be 65-70% fluorescent & 35-30% incandescent. Nell
I am in southwest Florida and the bop does beautifully, in this case to well. The leaves and in some cases flowers are canopying over a foot path and I need to get it back from the hardscape. This plant is not a giant, it has the yellow, orange and blue flowers. Any tips would be appreciated I do not want it to look butchered, this is our busy season with lots of foot traffic currently having to walk around the plant. Thanks for your help!
Hi Louise – These plants clump & spread as they age so this can become an issue. They can be somewhat difficult to dig up (to remove that portion hanging over) because of their fibrous “intense” root system so the easier thing to do would be to cut those stems all the way down to the ground. You could selectively do this so the plant doesn’t look so butchered. Nell
Hey, Neil
I’m in the mountains in Central Mexico 6;250 ft above sea level. I’ve had some Birds of Paradise for 7 years and others for about 2 1/2 years. Two of the 7-yr-olds are producing double blooms at a time on singles stems, for 2 years. Do you have any idea why this change from single to double blooms would happen?
KL
Hi Kay – I’m not sure what causes those double BOP flowers but I do know that it’s not unusual. Many plants around Santa Barbara would have all single flower blooms & 1 double. I have noticed that it does occur on older plants with quite a bit of “clump” to them because I haven’t seen any newly planted or younger plants with those double blooms. Nell
Hi Nell, I have a BOP in a pot which I brought in for the winter months (I live in zone 9). After I brought it inside the leaves turned brown and died off so I cut them off (closest to the rootball as I could), and left one stem which has 2 leaves on it. Unfortunately I noticed that during the pruning I accidentally cut about a 1/4 way into that last remaining stem…it seems okay. Will it heal itself and where will the plant grow from now? What should I do? Thanks SO much for your help! Andrew
Hi Andrew – Bird Of Paradise is a really tough plant. My neighbors in Santa Barbara sheared their 2 – 5′ BOPs back to a foot & they eventually came back just fine. Yours should start to put out a bit of new growth once it warms & you put it back outside. I’m not quite sure if that stem will heal itself because I’ve never had experience with accidentally cutting a stem like that. My guess (& this is a guess!) is that it’ll be ok. Nell
Hello Nell.
I had bought a bop last year from a nursery here in central Texas
It was doing great we transfer it into a bigger pot but we had a harsh weather wk with temp down to 18° .. it warmed up since then but I think it dead. Roots are still moist. What do I do? Can I report it and put in house or put it in ground? Please help me help my beautiful bop
Hi Kollen – With temps below freezing, you want to bring you plant inside the house or at least in the garage if temps stay lower than 32 degrees. Just leave it be for now (you can remove any damaged foliage) & then see how it’s doing in spring. Nell
Some of my BOP flower pods have black dots on them and the flowers inside are dead. What’s causing this and is there something I should use to get rid of the spots?
Hi Mike – I’m not quite sure how to answer this because I don’t know the under what conditions your BOP is growing. Sounds like a fungal disease to me. Nell
Hi this is Wanda from Ohio. My parents had a bird of paradise in a pot for 5 yrs and now I have it . The plant was doing good for 8 yrs last year bloomed several times. However, I think it is dead. All the stalks started falling over all new growth turned brown cut off bad stalks. Now only a few stalks all turning brown. Is there any hope?
Hi Wanda – It’s hard to say. The roots are very tough but very fibrous & prone to over watering. Give it as much light as possible, outdoors in a bright spot would be best, & let it dry out before watering again. Nell
Where can I get a dwarf bird of paridise. I live in the sunny part of San Francisco. I have a regular sized one that is doing well. I need the smaller one to do flower arrangements.
Hi Terry – I lived in San Francisco for 20 years. You could give Berkeley Horticultural Nursery, East Bay Nursery, Flora Grubb Gardens or Sloat garden Center out by the zoo a call & see if they have 1 or could order 1. I moved to Santa Barbara where you can find them everywhere. They’re sometimes sold on amazon, ebay & etsy but I have no idea of the quality. Hope that helps, Nell
when pruning my bop, I have a hard time determine the suckers from the good stems. is it helpful to remove suckers and if so, how do I tell them apart? Love your blog, thanks so much for sharing your green wisdom!
Hi Lisa – Happy to share! I would keep my BOPs & Giant BOP a bit thinned out because I liked the look better. You can either remove them or leave them on, that’s you’re call. They tend to be the smaller growth which appears off the base. Not all plants will produce a lot of suckers. Nell
Hi Nell,
I live Puerto Rico (zone 13a, b) and have recently planted (outdoors) Giant BOP and ma having a heck of a time…one plant seems like it’s rotting from the base…the others have brown curled leaves, I’m really struggling with figuring our how much or how often they should be watered. I have one inside that I water about every 3 days…that one is doing great, but the ones outside and flopped over 🙁 any advice? Thanks!!!!!
Hi Chrissy – Giant BOP like regular waterings but they are prone to rot, depending on your soil drains. They prefer deep waterings to frequent,shallow waterings. I would soak my very established 19′ GBOP in Santa Barbara, CA every 2-4 weeks in the months when it didn’t rain. Nell
Hi Nell; My fiancé and I are just starting to landscape our yard. We want kinda of a tropical them we have several plants started in pots and then plan on transplanting them next year. We live in South Carolina where the weather is extremely warm and humid in summer month, was wondering if the climate will be right for these beauties? And are there any others u would recommend…we aren’t much of green thumbed ppl…actually the opposite. Thanks for the advice in advance. Sincerely, Brooke
Hi Brooke – I can’t help you with that because I’m not familiar with gardening in South Carolina. I was raised in New England, spent 30 years in CA & now live in AZ. I can tell you that BOP is hardy in USDA zones 9-11. Nell
Hi Nell, I live in San Jose, CA. If I planted a rhizome, do you know how long it would take before it bloomed?
Thanks for your help.
Hi Paulette – I’ve never grown one from a rhizome, but I do know that it can take a while for them to bloom. Anywhere from 5-10 years. Nell
Hi could you please tell me how to get rid of BOP as we have it in front of a retaining wall and it is pushing it out. It was there when we brought our house, its a very big area is there something you can spray on it, to help break it down, to make it easier to dig out.
Hi Barbara – Not that I’m aware of. When we moved a couple of very mature BOP’s, we did the soak well with water over time method & dug them out over a 2 day period. Nell
I planted my bird of paradise in my garden this past summer and it was beautiful all summer. However it didn’t grow at all this summer… what can I do to keep it growing
I live in South Carolina
Hi Cheryl – Bird of Paradise likes sun & warm temps to grow; a lot depends on the weather. It can take them up to 5 years to flower. It would always appreciate topdressing with some good, rich, organic compost. Nell
Hi, Nell!
I have a massive bird of paradise bush on myy front porch. I’ve been here 2 years, and it was here before I got here. It’s easily over 6ft tall, and is as wide as the space allows. The size of a small car. Hundreds of leaves.
When I moved in, it had quite a few flowers. Eventually, they died. After 3 or 4 months, I decided to cut off anything dead. Half the bush! A lot of stems of browning leaves looked healthy on the outside, but had a hard dark brown chute in the center.
6 months later, we had 14 beautiful flowers. Now, nothing again.
I’ve decided to really get after the rotten parts this time, and realized that there over a hundred rotten stem stumps at the base. I never cut them that far down before…who knows how long they’ve been there. Half the base of the plant is dead stumps…either hard and dry, or wet and mushy.
I’ve been hacking off browning leaves all day, and all of the leaves that are significantly brown or dry have that dark brown hard chute in the center.
I’m going to try my hardest to cut all the rotten stems down as far as I can (It is a BIG bush. I can’t reach the center) and leave all the healthy bits to so their thing (lots and lots of new leaves coming in!), but…what more can I do?
It’s in full sun on half the bush. The other half is smushed up against our house. I barely remember to water it, but the bottom is all wet and mushy. It hasn’t rained here (Anaheim) in eons.
Hi Shandra – It’s best to keep up on the pruning of a Bird Of Paradise. Once they get older & grow to be a very large plant, they get out of control & it’s hard to keep them looking good due to their girth. Selective pruning generally doesn’t help. My neighbors cut their 2 very old & large BOPs back to about a foot from the ground. They were then able to clean out the inside. The plants looked horrible for about a year but they did eventually grow back beautifully. Nell
Hi, great pics and tips! I have two bird of paradises on my property in Los Angeles (And that’s all so far lol). They are doing great! I was wondering if you had any recommendations for other plants that would complement the BOP and that would have similar care requirements. Thanks!
Hi Teri – Thank you! Bird of Paradise has a very tough root system & will eventually overtake & crowd out other plants so it’s best to not plant anything to close to it. Nell
Hi, Nell.
I have three potted birds of paradise, and they’re all doing so well outside (I live in zone 8 in Portland, OR). Last winter, I brought them inside because there’s no way they’d survive the cold, but they’re all so big now and there’s absolutely no place for them inside. Could I cut them down (as I will my outdoor bananas), protect the roots from water and frost and expect that they’ll come back in the spring? Or would that kill them?
Thanks so much!
Aleksandra
Hi Alexsandra – My neighbor in Santa Barbara CA cut their 5′ BOPs down to 10″ above the ground. It took a while for them to start coming back. You certainly can cut them down & protect the roots but just know that it may take all season for them to re-grow. Nell
Hi Nell, I live in Tasmania, Australia. I bought a Bird of Paradise plant 2 months ago from the local nursery. I planted it in full sun out in the front garden. But now I found that the leaves are now getting brown. What could be the problem? There is a new leaf coming through but I am not sure if that is brown as well? My husband gave it some fertilizer but not a liquid type though. Hope you can tell me what to do. Thanks, Krishnee
Hi Krishnee – If the leaves are just tipping, BOPs are prone to that in periods of dryness. If the leaves are party to fully brown, it could be fertilizer burn, too much water, too little water or a combo. If you think it’s over fertilization (I can’t tell you for sure because I don’t know what he used or how you’ve been taking care of it), then you want to flush as much of it out as possible. Nell
Hello Nell! I bought a house in LA that has a massive bird of paradise that is a bit bigger than the one pictured above in which your neighbor “mohawked.” We cut it that same way last summer and it has already doubled in height since then. Right now, it’s growing against a wall in a flower bed alongside our driveway, and I’d really like to divide the plant so it’s as big around as a basketball and not a Volkswagen 😉
When is the best time of year to do this? I’m planning on keeping some of the healthy divisions and planting them elsewhere in the garden.
Hi Kristin – October/November is a great time for planting or transplanting in LA. The days are getting shorter & winter is on the way but it’s not cool & rainy yet. You can really transplant them any time but in fall it’s easier on the plants (the hot days should be behind & not as much watering to do). Just be sure to give them a really good soaking when you plant them. Nell
Hi Nell,
I live in Toronto, Canada, and have a large BoP that I bought a couple of years ago when it was about 4-5 feet tall. I’ve had to transplant it once, as its roots were overflowing the pot, and the plant is now hitting the ceiling in my living room – still no sign of flowers though.
A couple of the leaves never opened fully – they are still tightly curled at the outer ends, and the leaves have torn where the lower part of the leaf unfurled.
Do you know why this may have happened? Maybe the plant was too dry when those leaves were opening?
Hi Leslie – If your BOP is hitting the ceiling, it sounds like you have a Giant Bird Of Paradise. Yes, that is usually to to the plant being too dry or not enough light. It’s not common for them to flower indoors because they need a lot of year round high light indoors. As to the leaves tearing, that’s the nature of the plant. Here’s a post I did on this plant: https://www.joyusgarden.com/ask-nell-why-are-my-giant-bird-of-paradise-leaf-edges-turning-brown/ Nell
Hi Nell, I live in South Africa. My bush of the plant made seeds. Black round with a bit of orange woollike hair. How can I plant the seeds to so if I can grow them.. I woulk love to know if it can be done. Kind regards from South Africa.
Hi Mari – I’ve only propagated BOPs by division & have no experience with growing them by seed. I do know 2 things on this subject though: you need to soak the seeds for a few days before planting them & it can take over 10 years for a plant grown from seed to flower. Hope that helps! Nell
I have 4 BOP that the leaves curled up and yellow due to the extreme cold we had in Louisiana for two weeks. They are planted in the ground and 4ft tall. Do I cut down the whole BOP to the base of the plant? Please help
Hi Shaina – Yes you can, my neighbors did that to 2 of their plants. Cut them down to 6 to 12″ & they’ll rejuvenate. Be sure to wait until the weather has consistently warmed up at night; which would most likely be spring. Nell
I have been watering a great deal because of new sod. Today there was a vine growing in my BOP and I pulled at it. 2 clumps have come out. They have large bulbous roots. I need to replant but am unsure of how deep I should plant them. I am wondering if because of all of the watering their root system is shallow. Any advise would be appreciated. I do love them, Thanks
Hi Pam – Plant those clumps so that the top of the root balls are level with the soil as they’d been growing before. Planting too deep might hinder flowering. They have a rather tough, extensive root system. Nell
Hi Nell,
My indoor BOP is growing new leaves but they seem to be growing in torn. The top part of the leaf is uncurling but the bottom part is getting “stuck” on the stem of the neighboring leaf. Is there something I can do to help avoid this with the newer leaves? The pot has good drainage. I do the “finger check” to see when it needs water. Knowing that there is less humidity indoors, I do “mist” the plant daily. I’ve only had the plant for about 2 months. There is a lot of natural, but not direct, light in the room. I’m on the peninsula in the SF Bay area. Please help!
Hi Lindsey – I know the peninsula well because I lived in SF for 20 years. The leaves of a BOP growing indoors open very slowly. Outdoors BOPs grow very densely so getting stuck usually isn’t an issue. They need bright natural light indoors (but no direct hot sun) & a fair amount of water. Their roots are very tough & thick (hard to divide a mature one growing in the garden) so check to see it has enough root space. Nell
Hi Pam. I just brought a couple BoP from SoCal back to Dubai with me. Any ideas about planting in very hot climates ( similar to Phoenix ~I guess). I bought a gallon size pot at Home Depot and split it in three main clumps to bring back. I put one in the ground and the others in pots. Will they burn in full sun or should they be partial shade for the summer than back to full sun for the cooler winter months?
Hi Dave – I’ve grown them along the coast of CA which is a much more temperate climate. I can tell you that they do best in Phoenix in a north or east exposure, protected from the hottest sun. I would assume the same in Dubai. In winter they could most likely take more sun. Nell
Hi Nell, Ive had my BOP for about 3-4 years now and it finally pushed out a flower!!! I was so excited. But the flower died in less than a month. And that made me sad. I thought they lasted much longer?? It gets regular water and a lot of sunlight. I was gone most of the month it had been bloomed and had someone watching and watering all of my plants each week while I was away. Could it have been too much water? Not enough? All the other plants are flourishing. I live in Northern Cali in Vacaville. Should I cut the dead bloom off now?
Hi Liz – That’s normal. The flowers usually last 2-4 weeks once they open. The opening process can take a while. Yes, cut the dead bloom off including the stalk all the way back. Nell
Nell,
I live in Washington, DC, where I have grown a BOP indoors for about 20 years and I don’t recall repotting in in at least 15 years. 10 years ago it grew straight up to 10 feet in my double living room. It jhas hit hard times from probably being rootbound. It now has the leaves curling over ove and touching the floor except a few that I have tied up to a post. It has several babies.
1. Is it worth repotting the three original plants if I would like it to recover its height or is it too far gone or too old?
2. can I save the babies or o they share the age with the original one?
If repotting is worth it, do I need to prune the roots, or do anything else with the roots, and if so how much, and how can I tell?
Thanks,
Peter
Hi Peter – You can always cut the stems down to about 3’tall & have them rejuvenate as new plants. It’s a slow process indoors but an option. The babies won’t be the same age. Yes, you can prune the roots but not while it’s flowering. The best time to prune/repot is spring or summer. Nell
Hi Nell, We had a very large, neglected BOP in our sunny front yard in San Jose, but we needed to reduce the size for a new landscape design. Our landscaper took 3 sections out of it to transplant, and now there are 4 plants. They’ve been on a drip system so I think they’re getting the right amount of water. Problem is, on the 3 new plants some of the stalks are dead or dying and the flowers start to bloom, then die, with a strange resin looking substance on them. Any idea what we’re dealing with?
Hi Jacqueline – I’ve only transplanted an established BOP once but I’ll tell you what I learned &/or know. 1) even tough the roots are tough, if you cut into too many, the plant will suffer. 2) the best time to do it is spring or early summer. 3) it can take them at least 6 months to recover 4) they like to be watered really well (which means deeply) after the transplant. As to the resin, BOP flowers secrete a sugary nectar which oozes out of them & drips down. Nell
Hi Nell,
What a great service you’re doing!
I just bought my first BOP. It’s not going too be a giant.
I purchased it at about 4 feet tall and quite full.
I am keeping it outside in a planter, about 2 feet diameter, or a tiny bit more.
It planted in general , planting soil from the nursery, with one bag of Miracle Grow, moisture guard soil mixed in. I have it placed in an area outside where it will get direct sun most of the day.
I just had a friend tell me today, “that’s not going to live, it’s going to die. BOP hate containers, they want the to be in the ground, develop a “tap root” and want water, water, water.
I live in “USDA Plant Hardiness Zone,” 10A.
California
Is any of this true?
What is the rule for watering a BOP in container?
How do I know if I’m giving it too much or not enough water? Will the plant give me signs, before it’s too late?
Do I need to feed or fertilize?
Thanks so much,
Sandy
Hi Sandy – Thank you! Bird of Paradise grow in containers (many grow them as houseplants) fine as long as the pot is big enough. The only issue is, when they outgrow the pot they can be challenging to repot because of those large, fleshy roots. I can’t say how often because I don’t know your summer temps. They like regular water & not to be too wet or too dry. When the top few inches of soil are dry, water again. Curling leaves are usually a sign. They like rich, organic feedings. A combo of compost & manure (or worm compost) is great. Nell
Hi Nell. I live in Tampa FL and have 2 BOP in my screened pool area. They are about 30 years old! They haven’t had blooms for many years and wonder what to do to produce blooms again. Thanks for your advice.
Hi Ruth – That’s longevity! Could be not enough light, they need feeding or they need dividing. Even though they bloom best when potbound, they could be too crowded. Cooler temps will stimulate the flowering process. Nell
I came back into town to discover our drip system had failed. The B O P has withered and
browned. I hate to give it the Mohawk treatment. But maybe that’s the only way to treat it
at his point. I would appreciate your recommendation on this rescue.
Dan in Mesa AZ
Hi Dan – I live in Tucson so I know what you mean. If it’s completely brown, it’s best to cut it back & have it rejuvenate. Be sure it gets deep waterings as it’s coming back. Nell
Hi Nell,
We have a bop at our office. It’s been in the same pot for 3 years now and we’ve had no blooms yet. BUT, the foliage is constantly coming. It has spread too far and now I need to cut some of the stalks down. Here’s my question though… when a new leaf emerges it never opens on its own… we’ve had to “birth” them, which leads to split or fractured leaves. I waited almost 60 days for the last leaf to open before doing it myself. Is this normal? LOL, I’m beginning to wonder if it’s even a bop! Thanks so much.
Hi Vicki – When BOPs are growing as houseplants & the leaves don’t open, it’s usually due to lack of humidity. And yes, it can be common especially in offices. The lack of flowering could be due to lack of light. Nell
Hi Nell, I’ve recently bought a house in Carlsbad, CA and the previous owner planted several Giant BOP. When I say giant, I mean GIANT. most of the flowers exceed 12 inches tip to tip and the green stems look like trees towering 20 feet. I need to know how to keep it under control. I would love to sent photos to you. Do I cut the flowers off after they peak? I think I may need to call a professional such as a tree trimmer. Thoughts?
Hi Dawna – My GOP in Santa Barbara was 19′ tall so I know what you mean. I could saw off the lower flowers, but my neighbor who was a professional gardener took care of the upper ones. He did it 3 times a year. You can take them off after they’re spent if you’d like. He also sawed off the too tall stems & ones that were leaning. Be warned – those tall stems are heavy but it’s a way to control the size. Yes, a professional would be a good idea unless you can handle the weight. Nell
Hi there! I have had a BOP for At least 20 years. It has never bloomed. It’s been in the same pot the whole time. It has been in sun, and indirect light. What should I do to make it bloom?Hr,p!
Hi Sandra – They need around 6 hours of sun per day to bloom. Although they bloom best when tight in their pots, 20 years in the same pot is pushing it. Nell
I live in Ohio and my BOP is about 8-10 years old. I put the pot outside in summer and inside in winter months. I did transplant it summer. My BOP has never flowered. Any idea why? It looks great. During the winter Ohio is not known for sunshine and the house is not a sunny home either.
Thank you
Hi Pamela – BOPs bloom when older. Yours is old enough to bloom. They need lots of natural light (at least 6 hrs/day) to bloom. Nell
Hi Nell! Thanks for all the great tips! Just brought home my first white bird of paradise… Would you suggest waiting to re-pot until it’s a bit root logged? (trying) to keep it as in indoor plant.
Kate – The Giant Birds of Paradise has a very strong root system. If the roots are coming out the bottom or it’s looking stressed, then it’s time to repot. Nell
Hi Nell, I have a bird of paradise in full sun and have been pulling out the spent flowers instead of cutting them. Will this damage the plant? I also pull out the dead outer leaves for making the plant feel lighter. Should I cut instead of pull? Or as long as it comes out with a pull it won’t damage the plant? Many thanks
Sofia – Birds Of Paradise are very tough once established. If the spent flower stalk pulls off easily (or fairly easily!) I think it would be just fine. Nell