Name: Bird of Paradise
Scientific Name: Strelitzia nicolai
Location and Habitat: South Africa
General Information
- Can reach up to 20' tall in their natural habitat but will often stop at 6-10' indoors
- Don't forget to periodically dust your Bird of Paradise with either a damp cloth or bringing to a shower.
| Fertilizing | Heavy feeder Feed at 1/2 recommended strength at every watering during the growing season and otherwise once per month. |
| Repotting | Bird of Paradise will tolerate being rootbound and will help contain the size of the plant |
| Propagation | You can divide off any new plants that emerge at the base. Stake any new plants if they have issues staying upright. |
| Pruning |
Prune away older, outer leaves at the base with a sharp knife, as they droop over time and develop more splits. New leaves always emerge from the center. |
| Humidity | They do enjoy extra humidity. Keep away from drafts. Extra humidity will help decrease the amount of splitting in the leaves. |
| Pests & Disease | Can be susceptible to fairly common pests but on a healthy, growing Bird of Paradise they are rare. Spider Mites are most common. Regularly shower or wipe down both sides of leaves to keep them at bay. |
| Pets | Bird of Paradise are toxic to pets. |
Bird of Paradise Light Requirements ☼
Bright filtered light. They will tolerate medium light conditions but then will stretch quite a bit more. If close to a wall you can support some of the leaves by anchoring them to the wall with string or fishing line.
Bird of Paradise Water Requirements
Prefers moist (but not soggy) soil. Allow the top 2-3" to dry out between waterings. In larger pots make sure to water thoroughly so that soil is saturated. Can take quite a while to dry out between waterings in lower light conditions.
