With their stunning, exotic vibes, Bird of Paradise plants (Strelitzia) are a total showstopper for any patio or sunroom. While a single plant is gorgeous on its own, they look absolutely spectacular when you group a few together in a large planter. Sure, you could just pick one up at your local garden center, but there’s something so rewarding about growing your own from scratch!
Propagating Your Bird of Paradise
You can grow these beauties from seeds or by dividing an existing plant. To be honest, starting from seed is a bit of a project and usually works best if you have a heated indoor greenhouse. Dividing a healthy, established plant is much easier and gets you that “finished look” way faster.
Growing from Seed
Fair warning: growing Strelitzia from seed requires some serious patience. It usually takes about 3 to 4 years before you’ll see your first bloom. If you’re up for the challenge, here’s the game plan:
- Soak the seeds in lukewarm water for a full 24 hours to soften them up.
- Fill your starter pots with a seed-starting mix.
- Make sure the soil is nutrient-poor, loose, and slightly acidic.
- Good drainage is key! Add some broken pottery shards or pebbles at the bottom to prevent soggy roots.
- Plant the seeds individually about an inch (2 cm) deep.
- Give them a good initial watering.
- Ideally, place them in a heated indoor greenhouse.
- If you don’t have one, find a bright, warm spot where temperatures stay between 77°F and 86°F (25-30°C).
- To keep the humidity high, you can pop a plastic bag over the pot—just remember to air it out regularly.
- Keep the soil consistently moist with a spray bottle while you wait for sprouts.
- Once they start germinating, ditch the plastic bag.
- Wait about two months before you start fertilizing, and even then, only use about a quarter of the recommended strength.
Propagation by Division
Late spring is the perfect time to divide your plants. Start by carefully removing the plant from its pot, being extra gentle with the roots. Shake off the excess soil and try to pull the root ball apart by hand. If it’s being stubborn, you can use a clean knife or even a spade to slice it into sections. Just make sure every piece has plenty of roots and at least a few leaves.
Repot your new sections into fresh compost-rich soil and keep them in a bright, warm spot for about 5 to 8 weeks. Water them moderately—you want the soil to dry out a bit between waterings. Hold off on the fertilizer entirely during this phase. Once you see new growth popping up, you’ll know the roots have taken hold! At that point, you can start treating them just like your mature Bird of Paradise plants.
