#Bird of paradise plant care how to#

Root rot is a fungus that is carried on seeds. Really, though, root rot is a fungus that is carried on seeds. This tends to crop up when the roots of the plant are allowed to sit in water or soggy soil for too long, and it can usually be avoided by letting the soil dry out between waterings.

The plant is very sensitive to water levels and will show signs of stress when there isnвЂ™t enough moisture.

Plants can grow up to 4 feet tall, reaching heights of 5-8 ft depending on the conditions.

The leaves are very large and palm like in nature, consisting of two lobes which point outwards.

It has bright yellow colored flowers with black markings on the throat.

The plants prefer nighttime temperatures of 50-55вЏ and temperatures of 70-75вЏ during the day, so donвЂ™t set your thermostat too low during the colder months.Following are the characteristics of this plant:

If you live somewhere not-so-tropical, youвЂ™ll need to mimic a warm, humid climate for your S. Mimic a Tropical ClimateД«ird of paradise is a gift to the world from South Africa and grows happily in Florida, Jamaica, southern California, and Hawaii. You can remove them by hand or use insecticidal soap or neem oil. Keep an eye out for pests such as spider mites or aphids. To keep the leaves looking neat, wipe off any dust with a moist towel every week or two. This could damage the natural finish of the leaves. To replace the topsoil, gently remove the top two inches with a hand trowel and add two inches of fresh potting mix.ДЄnd one final note вЂ“ do not use a leafshine product on these plants. Keep in mind that mature bird of paradise plants tend to bloom better if they are slightly root bound, so allowing it to stay in the same container for a couple of years can help it to flower. You can replace the topsoil annually and repot into a slightly larger container if desired. In addition to keeping the plant happy, this gives you a better chance of flowers. Turn it on for three hours in the morning before the sun rises and three hours after it sets вЂ“ or stops shining through the window. If you donвЂ™t have at least eight hours of sun shining through your window during the wintertime, you may want to invest in a quality grow light, like this one from the Home Depot, and hang it over the foliage. Set it outside for an hour the first day, two hours the next, over the course of a week or ten days until itвЂ™s spending all day outside.Д«ring the plant back in when daytime temperatures start to drop below 60вЏ. In the summer, you may choose to move your plants outside to a sunny or semi-shaded location when daytime temperatures are consistently above 70вЏ.Д«e careful to introduce the plant to the sun gradually, or the foliage could get sunburned. Do not fertilize them in the fall or winter, when growth slows down. You can fertilize every two weeks with a balanced 10-10-10 (NPK) liquid fertilizer in the spring and once a week in the summer. When they are grown as houseplants, bird of paradise can be fertilized more frequently than plants grown in the garden. If you need to, use filtered water, or collect rainwater, or snow to melt. During the winter months, the plant will go semi-dormant, and less frequent watering is required.ДЄnd no matter what, avoid water with a high salt content, as this can burn the leaves. To avoid wet feet, allow the top two inches of soil to dry out between waterings. Caring for Your Indoor PlantД«ird of paradise plants wonвЂ™t tolerate oversaturated soil, so youвЂ™ll need to take care with your watering.

#Bird of paradise plant care how to#

If youвЂ™re bringing your outdoor plant indoors for the winter months, learn how to pot it up in our guide to winter care for bird of paradise. Exposure of the top of the roots can help to encourage flowering.ДЄfter transplanting, water the plant until you see drainage trickling into the drainage dish and set it next to the sunniest window possible. To repot, fill the container with two parts potting soil and one part perlite to improve the drainage, carefully lift your plant from the nursery planter and and place it in the new planter.ДonвЂ™t plant your bird of paradise too deeply. It comes with a draining dish and it matches lots of decor styles. I love this 12-inch, toffee-colored planter from the Home Depot. YouвЂ™ll need to make sure that there are holes in the bottom for drainage, and since youвЂ™re growing it indoors, youвЂ™ll need a draining dish to make sure water doesnвЂ™t leak out all over your floors.