Splitting leaves - Some people think this is an issue but it is completely normal and natural for this plant to have split leaves as these allow wind to pass through the leaves without causing damage. Scale, mealybugs and spider mites - When spotted, wipe the leaves with a soft cloth and warm, soapy water. But here are some issues you may encounter while caring for a Bird of Paradise: When propagated by division, the process interrupts the growth cycle of the parent plant, resulting in a year without blooms.Under the right care and conditions, your plant will grow happy and healthy. When propagating from seed, it will take the newly formed plant up to three years to begin blooming. The seeds are woody, brown and small, with tufts of orange on them. The Strelitzia can be propagated from seeds or by division. During the winter months, you can mist the leaves of the plants to simulate rainfall, which will also improve humidity during the months that artificial heating is used. This plant prefers normal air humidity inside the home. Also, re-pot young plants which are growing early spring. Be careful not to injure the spathe during the transplant process. If the roots appear to be cramped in the current container, have someone assist you in moving it to a size larger pot. During the fall and winter months fertilization to once every month.Ĭheck the roots of this plant in the late winter. Offer this plant a balanced fertilizer every two weeks throughout the spring and summer. A standard potting soil will suffice for this plant's continued health. Strelitzia reginae does well in almost any type of soil. Never permit water to stand in the saucer underneath the plant. Throughout the fall and winter, permit the soil to almost dry out before watering. Above 70 ✯ (21 ✬), this plant should be relocated to a partial shade environment in order to avoid sunburn on the flowers.ĭuring the summer months, the soil should be kept moist through regular watering. Too much sunlight will injure the flowers. This plant demands bright, yet indirect, sunlight year-round. Above 70 ✯ (21 ✬), care instructions do change slightly. They can tolerate temperatures as low as 55 ✯ (13 ✬), but prefer to remain in the 70-90 ✯ (21-32 ✬) range. The Bird of Paradise requires moderate temperatures year-round. Poisonous: This species is mildly toxic for cats, dogs and people which would need to be consumed in fairly large amounts to affect the person or pet. This plant requires little encouragement to bloom, happy with enough light and water for its needs.
Blooming can be almost continuous from early spring into early fall, provided the plant is cared for. This red flush is a random occurrence, sometimes taking place on some leaves of a plant, while other leaves of the same plant remain completely green.įlowering: Once flowering begins in early spring, each plant will produce up to six flowers in succession, with each flower being long-lived. Some plants develop burgundy stripes along the edges of the leaves. The leaves are evergreen, while the flowers will come and go. Leaves are bushy and wide, growing up to 2 feet long and 12in (30cm) in width. When in bloom, three orange sepals stick up from the spathe, along with three blue petals that hold the nectar of the flower. This forms the "beak" of the flower, and is strong enough to support the weight of several birds at once.
BIRD OF PARADISE PLANT CARE FULL
Once the plant has reached its full height, it produces a hard sideways sheath called a spathe. How it looks: At an average of over 6 feet tall, this plant has the appearance of a bird's head when it is flowering. Once it begins flowering, however, this plant will provide you with years of delight. It is a long lived plant, and takes up to three years to begin producing flowers. It was first introduced to Europe by explorers in 1773, and has become a common ornamental plant in places that feature a warm climate year-round.įlowering occurs multiple times a year if the plant is well taken care of. The plant grows to over 6 feet tall, and is designed to fully support the weight of birds who stop to eat the nectar. It is sometimes referred to as the Crane plant due to the flowers looking like the feathers on the head of a crane. Strelitzia reginae is a native to the eastern coastlines of southern Africa, where it grows wild in patches that are sometimes miles across.