What is the Bird of Paradise? The ‘Bird of Paradise’ is an incredible tropical plant that grows extensive foliage and blooms super-huge flowers.
These flowers are as big as crane’s heads by the sheer size of their superlative growth. These flowers come to you in various vibrant hues, too.
The bright and super colorful flower blossoms make this tropical plant extraordinary. The Bird of Paradise needs extensive pruning so that the plant does not die. The pruning process involves extensive cleanup to remove dead plant cells or decayed plant matter.
Then, the old and damaged stems must be cut off. Finally, thin leaves are also gently taken off the plant.
In this online guide, let us learn how to take care of ‘Bird of Paradise’ properly and effectively.
1. Know a Little More About the Bird of Paradise
The Scientific name for the ‘Bird of Paradise’ is “Strelitzia Reginae.’ This bright tropical plant adds a majestic and enigmatic appeal to garden spaces. The flower bulbs resemble crane heads, and the flowers grow hugely and extensively.
The leaves and the lush foliage are also quite attractive to look at—the flowers of the ‘Bird of Paradise’ come to you in various attractive colors, too. The flower blooming season lasts 2-3 weeks before the petals start withering off. Pruning methods for the ‘Bird of Paradise’ require extensive effort. Let us see how this is being done!
2. Explore Trimming Techniques for The Bird of Paradise
Trimming refers to a gentler technique than pruning. Here, you just cut out a portion of the diseased, dead, or damaged plant. Trimming the plant of paradise will not hurt the plant in any way. This is mainly because you will cut a part of the damaged or deteriorated plant beyond its existence. Therefore, if you look at it, the amount of damage you will do to the plant is minimal.
Here, you use garden equipment to neatly trim or cut out the damaged portion of the plant. You do this mainly to avoid spreading the infection or the disease to the healthier growing plant.
3. Pruning the Bird of Paradise
Pruning the Bird of Paradise calls for a more serious and extensive effort. You remove a greater portion of leaves and stems from an older plant, and this is done so that the overgrowth of the plant does not hinder your doorway or other moving-in spaces. Again, you must comply with extensive pruning during the early spring season.
Did you know how to get rid of white fungus on plants? This can be done using gentle loppers indeed. It would help if you used a pruning saw or hand-based pruners instead of using heavy forms of hedge trimmers. This is because you do not want to hurt the overall existence of the plant. You must collect dead leaves and stems that cover the plant area.
4. Thinning Older Plants to Promote Better Growth
Thinning of plants is another way by which you promote better health and well-being for the ‘Bird of Paradise.’ The process involves air circulation into the central region of older plants. Therefore, the flowering blossom of the plant increases, and the occurrence of fungal infection reduces.
Do you find the plants too overcrowded for you to handle? Then, it would be best to use pruning equipment fitted with long handles. This way, you can get rid of stems and leaves selectively. You must have the newer growth of plants that you discover at its base. You can now replant the new plant bed elsewhere after tilling the soil using a shovel.
5. Pruning Technique for Other Birds of Paradise Plants
There are three other types of Bird Paradise plants. These include Red, Yellow, and Mexican. Let us have a brief overview of how the pruning process can be performed on each of them:
- Red– The season best suited to pruning for the Red Paradise lies between the period that falls from late winter until the onset of your early spring. You may have to cut back the plant by 6-12 inches. The measurement is 15-30 inches above the ground. Depending on the plant’s growth, a trimming session can occur during the mid-summer months.
- Yellow– You can also prune the plants between winter and early spring for the Yellow Paradise. The older blooms can be cut out. You can also cut out branches by about half their sizes.
- Mexican– For the Mexican variety, the pruning season is between winter and spring. Here, too, you get rid of older blossoms and cut stalks at the bottom of the plant.
Conclusion
We have seen how to do pruning and trim Bird of Paradise plants. These tropical plants require extensive garden care to prevent them from dying.
Pruning must be done according to the season the plant will wither out. The period of months that fall, late winter, and early spring are the best time to prune the plants.
Here, old flowers or dead plant matter is cleaned up. Alongside, you remove the fungus or parasites in the plant matter.
With care, you can ensure that Paradise plants’ robust growth is kept effective.
