Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Tropical Bird of Paradise
Tropical Bird of Paradise is a clumping evergreen with stiff, paddle-shaped leaves and orange and blue flowers shaped like a bird's head. In the Valley it blooms mostly in the cooler months. It stays about 4 to 6 feet tall, which suits a shaded patio, entry or poolside bed, or a large pot. Give it afternoon shade, regular water and frost protection.
Best for: shaded entries and patios, north or east-facing beds, a shaded poolside planting, and large pots.
Plant it on the north or east side of the house, or under a covered patio edge. Shade in the afternoon keeps the leaves from scorching.
It makes almost no litter, which is why it is popular beside pools. Pick a poolside spot that is shaded in the afternoon.
It does well in a large pot. A pot can move under a roof on freezing nights, and the plant stays about 4 to 6 feet tall.
Full sun in the low desert scorches the leaves and can kill it. Frost around 28°F damages it, and it struggles in the hottest stretches of summer.
- Plant to plant4 ft apart
In the low desert, give it part to full shade, especially in the afternoon. The north or east side of the house works. Full sun scorches the leaves.
Water regularly through summer and lightly in winter. Let the top of the soil dry slightly between waterings, and do not keep it soggy.
Frost damages it at about 28°F. Plant it under an overhang, or cover it on freezing nights with frost cloth or a sheet, not plastic. Remove the cover in the morning.
Feed it through the warm months to help it bloom. Cut off spent flowers and dead or damaged leaves to keep it tidy.
Dig and divide crowded clumps every few years to make new plants.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Can bird of paradise take full sun in Phoenix?
No. In the low desert, full sun scorches the leaves and can kill the plant. Give it part to full shade, especially in the afternoon, on the north or east side.
When does bird of paradise bloom in Arizona?
It blooms mostly in the cooler months, from late fall through winter into spring, with fewer flowers here than in coastal climates. Keep it shaded and fed through the warm months to get the most flowers.
Why is my bird of paradise not blooming?
Young plants take several years in the ground before they bloom, and too much sun also sets it back. Keep it shaded and fed through the warm months, and give it time.
How often should I water bird of paradise?
Water it regularly in summer and lightly in winter. Let the soil dry slightly between waterings, and plant it in soil that drains.
How cold hardy is bird of paradise?
Frost damages it at about 28°F. Plant it under an overhang, cover it on freezing nights, or move pots under a roof.
How big does bird of paradise get?
It grows slowly to moderately into a clump about 4 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide. Leave it that much room beside walks and walls.
Can bird of paradise grow in a pot?
Yes, it does well in a large pot. Use soil that drains, and move the pot under cover on frost nights.
Is bird of paradise good by a pool?
Yes, in a shaded spot. It drops almost no litter, which makes it a common poolside plant, so pick a pool bed that gets afternoon shade.
How do I keep bird of paradise looking good?
Cut off spent flowers as they fade, and remove dead or damaged leaves, especially after a hard cold snap or heat wave.
Can I divide bird of paradise?
Yes, dig up the clump and divide it to make new plants. Divide crowded clumps every few years to keep them healthy.
Is bird of paradise toxic to pets?
It is mildly toxic to pets. It can cause nausea, vomiting and drowsiness in dogs, cats and horses, mostly from the fruit and seeds, so keep pets from chewing it.
What is the difference between tropical and giant bird of paradise?
Tropical bird of paradise stays about 4 to 6 feet tall with orange and blue flowers. Giant bird of paradise grows 20 to 30 feet tall with white and blue flowers. Choose tropical for a shaded patio or entry, where it stays in scale.
Tropical Bird of Paradise for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Tropical Bird of Paradise brings its famous orange and blue flowers to shaded Valley patios. Shade is the key here, since full sun scorches it. Below are the questions people ask most, from where to plant it and how to water it to frost, bloom time, pots, grooming and dividing.
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Where to plant bird of paradise in Phoenix
Plant it in part to full shade, on the north or east side of the house or under a covered edge. Full sun in the low desert scorches the leaves and can kill it.
When does bird of paradise bloom in Arizona?
It blooms mostly in the cooler months, from late fall into spring. Young plants take several years in the ground before they flower well.
Watering bird of paradise
Water regularly in summer and lightly in winter, in soil that drains. Let the soil dry slightly between waterings.
Frost protection for bird of paradise
Frost damages it at about 28°F. Plant it under an overhang if you can, cover plants in the ground on freezing nights, and move pots under a roof.
Bird of paradise in pots
It does well in large pots on shaded patios, and a pot makes frost protection easy, since you can move it under a roof on cold nights.
Bird of paradise by the pool
It drops almost no litter, so it is a popular poolside plant. In the Valley, pick a poolside spot with afternoon shade.
Tropical vs giant bird of paradise
Tropical bird of paradise stays 4 to 6 feet with orange and blue flowers. The giant kind grows 20 to 30 feet tall with white and blue flowers.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.