Bird Of Paradise

Botanical Name: Strelitzia reginae

This plant has South African origins and this cousin to the banana is one of the best known tropical flowers in the world and will grow rapidly indoors, but can take 3 to 5 years to flower for the first time. The Bird of Paradise gets its name due to its flower comprising of three blue petals and three orange petals that are fused together. Once the flower takes bloom the shape starts to resemble that of a flying tropical bird.

Once it reaches flowering age it still should be kept in a pot. It usually flowers in the late winter or early spring, but it is possible given optimal conditions that it may flower any time of year.

To successfully grow the Bird of Paradise indoors in the shortest time possible the owner will need to provide lots of bright light, with occasionally direct sunlight (however ensure the leaves of younger plants are not burnt from direct sunlight at the hottest point of the day) and store it in a warm area. 

It will also need to be watered regularly, to ensure the soil is always moist and fed with compost early every spring.

Ideally the flower will be in a pot/container and kept outside in warm summer months and then kept inside throughout winter, as it is not a plant that tolerates the cold well.

Due to the toxicity of the Bird of Paradise, it needs to be kept away from dogs and cats.

The Bird of Paradise is an herbaceous perennial and makes a striking addition to any household, especially in a conservatory. They can grow to reach 1-1.5m tall and 50cm to 1m wide.