Cultivation and care of Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)

One of the plants whose flower is admired and coveted in gardens and homes around the world. An unusual, colorful flower with an exotic beauty that does not leave you indifferent. This plant of African origin has earned its unconditional fame and is currently a benchmark if we want flowers of rare and strange shapes.

An attraction that has given it its common name: Bird of Paradise . Let’s see how to grow it in our own home.

 WHAT CAN WE TELL YOU ABOUT THE BIRD OF PARADISE?

Starting with its name it was clear that a bird is not but the declaration of intent of the common name is more than clear. Bird because of the shape of the petals and sepals that make up an exotic work of art worthy of paradise. There is no more to say. Its scientific name is Strelitzia reginae. It comes from South Africa and thanks to its peculiar and unique bearing, size and flowers, it has been crowned as a highly desired indoor plant . Other species of the genus Strelitzia have sizes of up to 10 meters which logically makes it impossible to grow them at home. However, Strelitzia reginae is a short species, no more than 1 m or 1.2 m.

If its fame is due to the flowers, you should know that we can see the flowers from spring until well into autumn. Do you remember the Espatifilo? They share something in their floral structure and it is the spathe. In this case, the blue-green spathe contains a compendium of showy blue flowers with orange bracts, making the whole as exotic as one can expect.

DO YOU WANT TO ENJOY THE BIRD OF PARADISE PLANT IN YOUR HOME? 

EXPOSURE AND TEMPERATURES

The truth is that even if it is tropical, it tolerates semi-shady situations or indirect exposure for a few hours a day. However, its best situation will be sunny since it has a tropical, subtropical and Mediterranean climate. By the way. If where you live belongs to one of these climatic zones, it is a very good option to plant in the garden.

The range of temperatures that the bird of paradise supports oscillates between 5 and 25 ºC. We must bear in mind that these are ranges for which the plant does not suffer, but 5 ºC is not a record for which the plant has adequate growth. Average house temperatures (around 21 ºC are ideal temperatures ).

THE SOIL AND COMPOST OF THE BIRD OF PARADISE

For indoors we need a soil rich in organic matter and balanced . The drain should be a priority to avoid possible flooding. For this we will mix in equal parts, garden soil, mulch and sand. You can also add some compost to enrich the mix in organic matter.

Regarding the subscriber, the moment will be in the flowering period that we have already commented, which normally extends from April to October. A liquid solution for flowering plants is most common every 3 to 4 weeks.

THE POT AND THE TRANSPLANT, SOMETHING TO CONSIDER

The roots of the bird of paradise are vigorous and strong. They need space. With most plants we can afford to wait 2 or 3 years (or even longer) to transplant to a larger pot. In the case of the bird of paradise it must be an annual transplant.

Also, a good pot size will enhance the overall appearance of the plant. Its development will be optimal . The best time to do this annual transplant will be in spring. It is said that the roots are so strong that if the pot is too small, the plant can burst it. We have not seen it but who knows!

What is clear is that the flowers are completely different from the vast majority. In fact, look at this floral center that we find in a hotel. The flowers of the bird of paradise are the icing on the cake.

MULTIPLICATION AND GENERAL TIPS

  • The multiplication is simple, by division of bushes in spring.
  • It is advisable to buy the already developed plant. If it is too young you will despair waiting for it to bloom as it can take up to 5 or 6 years.
  • After the first flowering, the plant has a longevity of about 4 years on average depending on the conditions and care.
  • The development indoors is very good as well as in galleries. That is why it is so recommended as an exotic flower for indoor use.
  • It needs a period of winter vegetative stop to be able to flower in spring. Temperatures of approximately 10ºC for a season before returning to activity in spring.

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