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Bird of Paradise

einstein53's picture

Bird of Paradise (post #16221)

einstein53 on Mon, 02/01/2010 - 15:11
in

I couldn't find Bird of Paradise in this web-site. I am new to my area, cnetral coast of CA and we have a rare Mediterranean climate. There are only 4 or 5 climates like this in the world.. Cactus, pine trees,succulents and citrus trees grow in one persons yard.It's amazing! I am also a fairly new gardener. I volunteer to take care of 6 small gardens , of the 30 or solocated all through our small town, which is on the ocean. I don't how to care for most of these plants, as i am a native east coaster. So i thought i would start with the bird of paradise that is one of the gardens. I know they have to be "cut Back", by removing old and dead stalks. What i don't is when the best time is, to do this. I cut them way back in late summer and got a new growth of beautiful flowers. They are starting to look really crowded again. So if anyone can tell me, what is the best time of year to cut them back or just do whenever they start crowding?
Thank You

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Annya's picture

I have grown birds of (post #16221, reply #1 of 2)

by Annya in reply to einstein53 [original] on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 05:02

I have grown birds of paradise in the San Francisco Bay area, also a mediterranean climate, for 25 years. I have grown them in large pots and in the garden. For some reason, mine choose to flower during the winter, usually January through March. Therefore I cut them back and split them up either at the beginning of April or in October. They appear to be very forgiving in our climate. I now live part of the year in northern Italy (the original mediterranean climate) on the Riviera of Flowers, from San Remo to Genoa. They are grown commercially here and sold for the European markets typically January through March, I see them cut back also in April! I hope that this helps! Annya

Noel-in-England's picture

Reading from my 'Reader's (post #16221, reply #2 of 2)

by Noel-in-England in reply to Annya [original] on Fri, 02/12/2010 - 10:26

Reading from my 'Reader's Digest' - it writes that Strelitzia reginae should be potted-on ( ie put in the next-size-up of container ) - every 2nd year, after Flowering. Give a liquid feed at fortnightly intervals from late Spring to Early Autumn.

And apparantly they do NOT like temperatures in excess of 70 F.
(Min. 50 in winter ).

To propagate/increase your stock: - Divide your 'now-too-big' plants OR pull off individual & rooted shoots at that re-potting time - & plant straight into Soil-based ( 'John Innes No.3' ) compost.

Main Pest Threat - Scale insects.