Bird of Paradise
With winter winds whipping and temperatures dipping, Wisconsin gardeners are not going to be doing much outside. Indoor gardening is still going strong and will satisfy that urge to work with plants and soil. If space allows and you want to bring a bit of a tropical feel to your environment, consider growing a dramatic, stunning, exotic-looking Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae).
A widely recognized plant, Bird of Paradise is often associated with tropical locations, but is actually native to South Africa. It grows wild along the eastern coast in bush and thicket areas and provides nectar for birds and bees. It is a popular ornamental plant in southern California, Florida, and grows freely in Hawaii. Los Angeles has even adopted is at their “official flower”.
Bird of Paradise, Strelitzia, was named in honor of Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, who was also the Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Germany. The additional ‘reginae’ is Latin, meaning 'of the queen'. There are five species in this genus, but S. reginae is the most common. It is a slow growing, clump forming plant. Leaves grow alternately from a crown at the base on a stalk that can reach two feet tall. These thick, leathery, oblong, gray to bluish-green leaves are large, about 6 inches wide and 18 inches long.
The flowers stand above the foliage on the same stalk and emerge from a hard beak shaped sheath called the spathe. Each flower consists of three brilliant orange sepals and three bright blue petals shaped like the head of a bird. Two of the blue petals join to form a nectary that birds in the wild utilize as a perch while they have a sip of nectar and have their feet coated with pollen.
Bird of Paradise can be started from seed, but it will take 4–7 years to get blooms using this method. The very hard seeds need to be soaked for 24–48 hours and then scarified by using a small file or knife. Remove the orange fuzz that is on one end of the black seeds and plant them one inch deep in potting mix. Keep the soil warm and moist until the seedling emerge, 4–8 weeks later. Once they have two true leaves, they can be transplanted to a six-inch pot. Alternatively, purchase a plant at a nursery or by mail order.
While Bird of Paradise cannot be grown outdoors in Wisconsin (it is hardy only to Zones 10–12; Wisconsin is Zone 3–5), it can be grown quite successfully as a house plant. It will need a sunny spot during the winter and should be moved outdoors during the summer. Gradually expose it to increasing amounts of outdoor sunlight when transitioning to prevent sunburning the leaves. Be sure to bring it in before the first frost.
Bird of Paradise grows rapidly, but must reach a specific size before it will bloom. It will bloom more if allowed to be slightly pot bound (leave a 5–6 foot tall plant in a 14 inch pot), so once it reaches around three feet tall, do not repot it; just replace the top soil periodically. Allow the top roots to be exposed to the light for more prolific blooms.
Carol Shirk
Certified Master Gardener