🦜 Bird of Paradise

Strelitzia reginae
A flower doing its best tropical bird impression — and nailing it.
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Days to harvest
Perennial; blooms spring–fall once mature (3–5 years from seed)
Spacing
3–4 feet apart
Soil pH
6.0–7.0

How to grow

Plant in spring in well-drained soil; in Florida it's a landscape staple for zones 9b–11 (protect from hard freezes in 9a). It's slow to establish but nearly indestructible once settled. Divide crowded clumps in spring — wear gloves, the roots are formidable.

Water & feeding

Drought-tolerant once established; water deeply during extended dry spells. Overwatering causes root rot faster than drought causes wilt.

Common problems

  • Root rot in soggy soil
  • Scale and mealybugs in stressed plants
  • No blooms — usually too young, too shady, or recently divided

Harvest

Cut flowers last 1–2 weeks in a vase — among the longest-lasting tropical cuts. Remove spent blooms at the base to keep the clump tidy.

Nerdy fact: Bird of paradise is pollinated by sunbirds in its native South Africa — the birds perch on the blue 'tongue' petal, and their weight triggers a pollen-dusting mechanism. It's a flower with a trapdoor.

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