Spotlight: All About the Beautiful Bird of Paradise
What’t not to love about the Bird of Paradise? It’s stunning, exotic, grand, blooms vibrant flowers, and is an amazing outdoor and indoor plant. This plant is no doubt a classic and wonderful addition to your home. Keep reading to learn more about the royal Bird of Paradise —
let’s talk about its iconic flower and splitting leaves
The flower is the most recognizable part of the plant by many because it’s vibrant and takes on a unique shape that resembles a bird! Unfortunately, it is rare for it to flower indoors because it needs all the elements of its natural habitat such as high light. If it is important to you to be able to witness the flowering, it’s best to plant it outside or increase the humidity of your home.
We would say the second most recognizable feature are the splitting leaves. YES, this is completely normal! Similar to how the mature Monstera deliciosa naturally creates splits and wholes on its leaves, so does the Bird of Paradise—in its own unique way of course. The splitting naturally occurs as a way for air to pass through the plant to avoid breakage of the plant entirely.
the bird of paradise care tips & tricks
The Bird of Paradise is a bit more challenging as a houseplant. It can be finicky and particular, but will thrive with the proper care!
The BOP needs an abundance of bright, indirect sunlight. It can thrive in direct light, but it cannot take too much.
Give it some water every 1-2 weeks, depending on how dry the soil is. You are going to want to allow the soil to dry out slightly in between waterings. In the summer time, you will notice that it will need more frequent waterings.
The spear-like figure you see shooting out from the middle is actually a new leaf! They always grow from the center and are tightly wound, making it appear as a spear. So don’t cut it off!
struggles you may encounter
If your BOP is developing a high number of splits at a high rate, if may be too close to a draft. Again, it is key to make sure that they are away from drafts caused by air vents or opened windows.
Not giving it adequate light and water can result in the browning and intense curling/drooping of leaves. Lack of light and water can also result in extreme splitting.
THIS PLANT IS POISONOUS IF EATEN. Unfortunately, you have to be extremely diligent with keeping the Bird of Paradise away from children and pets.
the bird of paradise in the wild
— The Strelitzia reginae (orange) or Strelitzia nicolai (white) is native to South Africa and can exceed 20 inches in height outdoors!
— There are a total of five Strelitzia species, and the BOP Reginae is one of two that thrive outdoors and indoors.
— The leaves can grow anywhere between 12-18 inches long; it’s breathtaking!
other things
— Many confuse the BOP with banana plants; they are cousins! They do look similar, but the BOP will have plenty more leafs than a banana stalk.
— Since this plant is typically larger in size, make sure to rotate it once in a while to ensure even growth on all sides.
— If you want to see rapid growth and potentially witness your plant flower, pot it in a container that can be easily moved outdoors for the summer time. When the temperature begins to drop, bring it back in!
