The illustrated growing guide
Bird of Paradise
Strelitzia reginae
Family Strelitziaceae
Est. zones 10-12
The tropical-resort flower as a houseplant — but the bloom is a reward for years of patience: it needs to mature, get root-bound, and sit in the brightest light you own (a sunroom, not a dim corner). Even leafless it's a bold paddle-leaf statement. Most indoor plants never flower for lack of light — set expectations.
Full Sun / brightest window — bloom demands it
Moderate water
Moderate growth
None winter chill
From the print shop
Growing bird of paradise? Hang it.
Our Houseplants Vol. 2 collection carries bird of paradise — Strelitzia reginae, print Nº 3, “Bird of Paradise.”
16 designsfrom $21.99white or black groundmatte poster, unframed
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Overview
Will bird of paradise suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what bird of paradise actually needs.
Life cyclePerennial zones 10–12, annual elsewhereBird of Paradise at a glance
Common bird of paradise problems
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow bird of paradise: light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate bird of paradise
When to spray bird of paradise
Growing season. Bright light + patience is the bloom program.
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The year
What bird of paradise asks for, month by month.
The bird of paradise year, month by month
No fixed season calendar for bird of paradise — its care follows conditions, not the calendar.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Bird of Paradise in the garden system
What bird of paradise is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesMildly toxic to cats/dogs
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of bird of paradise, ruled as a catalogue.
Best bird of paradise varieties & cultivars
S. reginae (orange, standard); S. nicolai (giant white, tree-sized)
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to bird of paradiseyet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
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Questions
Bird of Paradise questions, answered straight.
Is bird of paradise safe for kids and pets?
With care. Mildly toxic to cats/dogs Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
How do you propagate bird of paradise?
Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups.
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Elsewhere
Where bird of paradise sits in the library.
Monstera
Golden Pothos
Snake Plant
Heartleaf Philodendron