Introduction
Bird of paradise is grown as much for its handsome, blue-green tropical foliage as for the distinctive flowers that appear periodically throughout the year. This slow-growing, clumping perennial resembles the related heliconia in vegetative appearance. Although best growth and flower production occurs in California and Hawaii, enough flowers develop under Florida landscape conditions to warrant planting. Flowers are produced on a stiff stem that rises above the foliage and are contained in orange and blue, boat-shaped bracts to produce a lovely effect in any landscape.
Credit: Edward F. Gilman, UF/IFAS
Credit: Edward F. Gilman, UF/IFAS
Credit: Edward F. Gilman, UF/IFAS
General Information
Scientific name: Strelitzia reginae
Pronunciation: strell-LITZ-zee-uh ree-JIN-nee
Common name(s): bird of paradise
Family: Strelitziaceae
Plant type: herbaceous
USDA hardiness zones: 10 through 11 (Figure 4)
Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year-round
Origin: not native to North America
Invasive potential: not known to be invasive
Uses: mass planting; specimen; container or above-ground planter; accent
Availability: generally available in many areas within its hardiness range
Credit:
Description
Height: 3 to 5 feet
Spread: 2 to 4 feet
Plant habit: upright
Plant density: moderate
Growth rate: slow
Texture: coarse
Foliage
Leaf arrangement: most emerge from the soil, usually without a stem
Leaf type: simple
Leaf margin: undulate
Leaf shape: oblong
Leaf venation: pinnate
Leaf type and persistence: evergreen
Leaf blade length: 12 to 18 inches
Leaf color: blue or blue-green
Fall color: no fall color change
Fall characteristic: not showy
Flower
Flower color: orange-blue
Flower characteristic: spring flowering; summer flowering
Fruit
Fruit shape: irregular
Fruit length: less than 0.5 inch
Fruit cover: dry or hard
Fruit color: orange
Fruit characteristic: inconspicuous and not showy
Trunk and Branches
Trunk/bark/branches: typically multi-trunked or clumping stems
Current year stem/twig color: not applicable
Current year stem/twig thickness: not applicable
Culture
Light requirement: plant grows in part shade/part sun
Soil tolerances: occasionally wet; clay; sand; acidic; loam; slightly alkaline
Drought tolerance: high
Soil salt tolerances: poor
Plant spacing: 24 to 36 inches
Other
Roots: not applicable
Winter interest: no special winter interest
Outstanding plant: plant has outstanding ornamental features and could be planted more
Pest resistance: long-term health usually not affected by pests
Use and Management
One full-grown specimen makes a dramatic landscape accent, with plants spreading as wide as they are tall. Mass plantings on 3- to 5-foot centers are effective in large gardens. Locate plants in a low-growing ground cover or in front of a shrub border to contrast the blue-green foliage with the green of other shrubs.
Developing into large clumps, bird of paradise needs full sun or high, shifting shade and rich, moisture-retentive soil. Plants should be fertilized regularly during the growing season.
Propagation is by seed or division, although plants seem to flower more freely under crowded conditions and are best left undisturbed. Many nursery operators report that the seeds are difficult to germinate.
Pests and Diseases
Scale is the main pest problem, though grasshoppers may occasionally ruin the foliage.
