Bird Of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)
strel-IT-zee-ah REE-jin-ay

Evergreen Perennial (usually grown as an annual near you) Clump-Forming, Upright in the Strelitziaceae Family
A dramatic South African native prized for its exotic orange-and-blue crane-like blooms. Grown outdoors in mild climates and as a striking patio or houseplant elsewhere -- bring it indoors well before frost.
Strelitzia reginae, commonly called Bird of Paradise or Crane Flower, is an evergreen, clump-forming perennial native to the Cape Provinces and KwaZulu-Natal region of South Africa. It forms large rosettes of stiff, gray-green, paddle-shaped leaves resembling a small banana plant's foliage, growing 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. Its famous flowers -- bright orange sepals and vivid blue petals emerging in sequence from a beaked, boat-shaped green-and-magenta bract -- are adapted to pollination by sunbirds landing on the bract to reach the nectar. It blooms most heavily in summer and fall but can flower intermittently through the year in favorable conditions. Hardy only in USDA zones 10a-12b, it's grown outdoors year-round in mild climates and as a container plant or houseplant everywhere else, including the Chicago area, where it must be moved indoors well before the first frost.

Pros

  • Striking, long-lasting orange and blue flowers, excellent for cutting
  • Bold, evergreen banana-like foliage adds a tropical look year-round
  • Tolerant of both full sun and partial shade
  • Drought tolerant once established

Cons

  • Not winter hardy — must be brought indoors or grown in a container in zones below 10a
  • Can take several years to reach blooming size from seed or a young division
  • Toxic to dogs, cats, and horses if chewed or eaten, mainly the fruit and seeds
This plant is probably not winter-hardy outdoors where you live.
Why Like In its native South African grasslands and coastal scrub, Bird of Paradise flowers are pollinated by sunbirds, which perch on the flower's boat-shaped bract and pry the petals apart with their feet to reach the nectar, picking up pollen in the process -- an unusual bird-pollination strategy in a plant family with few bee or insect visitors.
Highlights Bird of Paradise is one of the most recognizable tropical flowers, named for its resemblance to a brightly colored bird in flight. Its orange sepals and blue petals emerge in sequence from a boat-shaped bract atop tall, upright stems above clumps of large, gray-green, banana-like leaves. Hardy only in USDA zones 10-12, it's grown as a container plant or houseplant everywhere colder, including the Chicago area.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 4 - 4 feet tall. 3 - 4 feet wide.
Growth Rate Medium
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium : Water freely in spring and summer; let the soil dry out somewhat between waterings in fall and winter. Established plants tolerate some drought, but regular moisture during the growing season gives the best growth and bloom.
Zones 10a - 12b (Usually hardy to 30° F)
Tags Drought Tolerant, Evergreen, Full Sun, House Plants, Medium, Native to Africa, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Potentially Toxic
Bloom Period Summer to Fall
Flower Color Orange, Blue
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 02/05 - 06/28
2024 : 02/08 - 07/20
2023 : 03/02 - 07/08


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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!