Birds of Paradise

[electric.chowder]

Just wondering if any one knew where on the internet I could buy one, and if they're hard to keep/what conditions they need,

thanks!

-chowder

[jbigio]

Larry orchids on e-bay has them they do very well as landscape plants weater permiting

[digitalgate]

they need full sun, tropical temperature and they only flower if a whole bunch of them
is grown together. A single plant can't spike. So grow them in a flower bed.

[palito]

I been growing a few from seed since 4 years ago... this year they might finally flower! I grow them in pots, outdoors year round exposed to the elements.

They're not that tropical. they are extremely tolerant to heat and cold (mine got exposed to a freak low of 28F and only the older leaves suffered some damage, the newer leaves are in perfect shape) and extended neglect and drought periods.

[slippery_biscuit]

Which one are you interested in? There is the white variety which gets as tall as a house with the nifty fan pattern of leaf growth, then the orange one that ends up in all the floral displays that grows 2-3 feet high that has a clumpy spreading type of growth pattern. I've one of each and they stay indoors during the winter up here in the pac. nw. I've seen other less common varieties also.

[jerrymeola]

Birds grow like weeds here in Florida. You want the Orange on since the white will not flower in a pot. Also the white is not an especially pretty flower.

They like a lot of sun to flower. My neighbor gets 10 times as many flowers on his in the sun than mine in half shade.

[MissConnie]

Hmmm I guess they wouldnt do well in England then. Want some for our the front...

xxxx

[LeftCoastAngler]

Those are beauts when cluster'd up in bunches... I've seen some purrty ones... They get rather large over time aswell...

~LCA.

[pikevi]

I have one 'bird of paradise' (Strelitzia sp.). It was doing well during the summer but is struggling indoors. I see browning of leaves and has a general appearence of withering. ( I will post a photo soon).

They can be bought from many garden centres but are generally expensive ( at least here in Toronto, CA). I believe they start at around $70 and go all the way up to $250 each.

I am not sure of the colour of mine but I am hoping it is red-yellow-orange, which are really quite stunning to look at

[pikevi]

I am attaching a photo of a sorry-looking 'bird of paradise' (Strelitzia). It was quite healthy and green in Sept. of this year but indoor living does not seem to suit it. I do have to acknowledge that the last leaf that grew indoors is pretty big and green. I don't know what to make of it though.

I also find a little one coming up and I hope I can save it until next spring since I can try and give it special treatment since it is small. The big one is more than 2metres (7feet) high and it is difficult to fit it anywhere without starving the other plants for light.

[rmt135]

I personally have not planted my ‘Bird of Paradise’ yet – it is still inside the polybag. But I had planted a cousin of the ‘Bird of Paradise’ – Heliconia. Their needs are not much different.

‘Bird of Paradise’ loves the sun & if planted with a bit of shade the leave will be bigger, taller & the flower slightly bigger than those planted under full sun light. In my country, there is no winter. It is either sun, sun, sun or rain, rain, rain. So I believe that the reason Pikevi move it indoor. But this plant loves the sun.

It grows best in organic soil or compost mix with soft soil (not those clay types) with good drainage. I personally like to use a mixture of compost, very small gravels with fine soil & top soil. The soil should be not kept dry or soggy. Long period of dryness can lead to yellowing of leaves & slow death. The soil should just cover the root & not too deep. Roots that are kept deep will affect the flowering & plant health. One of Heliconia where I had experimented by planting the roots deep had resulted in the leaves stem breaking & turns yellow. It did not even grow big.

Remove any dead leaves to reduce fungal infection. Without those dead leaves – it look nicer.

I fertilize my plant every 7 to 10 days. Please do not place the fertilizer too close to the stem. Evenly spread them & watered them after you have spread the fertilizer. Please do not fertilize them if you have just planted them. Let the roots settle down first. I did not fertilize my new plant close to 2 months after I have planted them.

This plant is to be grown in a bundle or bunch of shoots in a single stem. Space them out so that there is room for the flower to bloom. These plants really need space to grow well.

The nursery owner sold to me the ‘Bird of Paradise’ in 01 polybag for S$9. It sure is pricy in Canada - $70 for one.

[pikevi]

rmt135: The mix I used is a bit different from what you use. I may change the composition next spring (if the plant survives).

Imported plants are quite expensive here. I realise $9 is a far cry from $70. But these plants are at least 4 ' high. I have not seen any that are smaller.
But I am certain we will not get any for $9. I am not sure if they are cheaper in areas other than the city of Toronto.

As you said they take up a lot of room. The latest two leaves are almost a meter (>3' ) long each and the width is about 35 cm (>1'). There were a couple of browned leaves at the base and I cut them off. It was really very pretty in the summer with fan like appearence , resembling a traveler's palm (Ravenala sp.)

Thanks for the info.

[LeftCoastAngler]

Bird of Paradise | Patio Plants from Gurney's Seed and Nursery

[Gladys47]

I am always looking for he seed pods. I ave heard that they make seed, Bt I can nevr find them. Anybody got a clue? I like to grow things fom seed. Somehow they seem ore specil to me. Like my own " flower child" if you know what I mean.
Happy New Year to all! Love you guys, Gladys
PS. I'm on my old laptop and it loves to skip letters. I canspell. Really, I promise!

[pikevi]

I have no idea Gladys47. But I will check that for you. I have never seen or heard of 'fruits' on birds of paradise.

[rmt135]

‘Bird of Paradise’ can be grown from seed but it takes a few years for it to bloom (if you have the patience).

Most of my plants I propagate by either stem cutting, division, grafting etc. For ‘Bird of Paradise’ you can divide them. It is faster. Just make sure you have a few shoots on a single stem. Maintain the soil moist & fertilize after the roots have established themselves.

BTW tiedimmefrofe, welcome to the forum. I hope you are in the right thread. Why don't you introduce yourself at the INTRODUCTION & update you profile. It is good to know where you are from.

[electric.chowder]

Thanks for all the info everyone, once all this cold weather leaves and spring arrives I will be ordering one of the orange one!


-chowder

[PhalPal]

Jerry I was going to use your words exactly - they grow like weeds in California too. Very tolerant of high and low temps and they love the sun. My neighbor has a giant BofP that I get to enjoy over the fence; it is almost as tall as their two story house. They are not gardeners by any means and it is flourishing in a terrible clay soil and never fertilized. When we built these houses I had all the clay removed from my growing areas and they did not. It seems to be in constant bloom and doubles in size (width) about every two years; it could easily be divided.

[pikevi]

Two storey high Birds of Paradise? That would be a beautiful sight. I have seen Traveler's palms growing that high.

rmt135: Is there any way one can know the colour of the flowers by looking at the leaves?

Thanks.

[rmt135]

Aba ke debra walla this plant will have yellow flowers.

Poooh poooh left Poooh poooh right this one will be red.

Try these on your green leaves. See if it works Pikevi. I do not think we can know the colour of the flower by looking at the green leaves.

Electric.chowder, you will be glad & drool when you see the 'Bird of Paradise' bloom. Why not have 2 or 3 or 4 or .......... & admire the beauty.

[pikevi]

hmmmmm.. I was not referring to green(ness) of the leaf. I was thinking more in the line of shape,size and so on . Just a thought!

abracadabra.. seems it is White