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

A bird of paradise plant grows outdoor and shows some brown edges on leaves.
The unique flowers of this plant are easily recognizable, & make it oh-so popular.

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 plant grows outdoors in garden amongst other plants.
Here are a couple of Birds growing in the shade in Santa Barbara.  As you can see, the plant is less dense, with longer stems and smaller foliage & flowers.

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.

Double-headed Bird of paradise plant grows outdoors a second flower is emerging out of the first flower.
It’s not uncommon to see “double Birds” – that’s what I call them anyway!   As seen in the foreground, a 2nd smaller flower emerges out of & above the 1st flower on the same stalk.

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.

A small Bird of paradise plant grows outdoors, beautiful flowers are in bloom.
I include this because the flowers were regular-sized, but the plants were around 1′ tall.  I had to sit down on the sidewalk to take the pic! 

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.

Bird of paradise has been heavily pruned into a mound like shape.
Here’s the picture I said that I’d try to find in the video.  The neighbors down the street in Santa Barbara did this to the 2 Birds of Paradise on either side of their front steps.  This “mohawking” is NOT the way to prune these plants!  They eventually came back just fine, but believe me, it didn’t happen overnight!

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 grows outdoors in a retail space, bougainvillea in pots are growing the background.
This is the sole photo taken in Tucson (in February). These Birds don’t look bad at all!

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

Can Bird Of Paradise tolerate shade?

It’ll tolerate shade, but the foliage will be smaller and the stems more stretched. Plus, it needs bright light to bloom.

Can I put my Bird of Paradise outside?

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.

How do you prune Bird Of Paradise brown leaves?

Take them off, stem and all. You want to prune the stems back to the base of the plant.

Close up photo of the fire orange flowers on a bird of paradise.
A Bird with abundant blooms is a beautiful sight. They sure brighten up the sidewalk areas!

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,

Signed by Nell Foster

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79 Comments

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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!

  4. 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

  5. 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!

  6. 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

  7. 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!

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

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