How to Grow Bird of Paradise in Containers?
Bird of paradise thrives in containers with a drainage hole and rich, well-draining potting soil. It flourishes in moist, humid climates but has little tolerance for both the cold and strong winds. If you have a greenhouse or conservatory, place your Bird of paradise here as it will thrive.
Does the Bird of paradise like to be root bound?
Unlike many other houseplants, the Bird of paradise does enjoy being slightly root bound. The roots of the plant grow fast, quickly filling out the space in the pot. Once the plant has filled the space, it focuses its energy on producing new growth instead.
This is one of the reasons why being pot-bound encourages blooming in the Bird of paradise.
How to choose a container
When choosing a container, always pick one with sufficient drainage. Selecting a pot that lacks drainage is almost a guaranteed way to end up with a case of the dreaded root rot.
Select a pot one or two sizes up. Avoid sizing up too much. You may think you are saving money, but this will increase your soil’s drying time significantly, which will cause your plant to sit in wet soil for an extended period of time.
What happens if you fail to size up your container
If you fail to size up your container every few years, it will likely be destroyed by your plant’s roots. This is because the Strelitzia has a very tough root system that is capable of lifting pavements or damaging buildings.
Failing to size up can also lead to your plant becoming top heavy, which can cause it to fall over, resulting in a damaged plant.
How to know when to repot?
There may be several reasons why you may need to repot your Bird of paradise plant. Where possible, repotting should be done during the warmer months. Try not to repot the plant when it is dormant, like in the winter. This will make it take longer for the plant to recover.
Outgrowing its pot
You should repot your Bird of paradise when the roots outgrow the pot. You will easily be able to tell if your plant has outgrown its home, as roots will begin to creep out from beneath your pot.
Similarly, if roots become too condensed, your pot may break, caused by the pressure from the roots.
Keep in mind that disturbing the roots will result in a lack of blooms, so consider only repotting your plant when it shows signs of outgrowing its current container.
Where to place your container
Bird of Paradise likes full sun but will thrive better with a spot that receives some shade. Plants that are in full sun are likely to produce multiple flowers.
Plants that have access to some shade throughout the day are known to flower slightly less, but the flowers put out by the plant are bigger.
If you are providing your plant with direct light, it should get 3–4 hours of direct sun per day.
If you are providing indirect light, it’s best to place your Bird of paradise somewhere it will receive at least 6 hours of bright light.
Items you will need for planting your Bird of paradise in a container
- A pair of sharp tools: A sharp knife, secateurs, and a hand trowel for smaller plants. If you have a large Bird of paradise, a shovel may be better suited
- Rubbing alcohol or insecticidal soap to sanitize tools
- Fresh soil
- A new, bigger pot
- If you are propagating, you will need several additional pots
- Watering can
In conclusion
Due to the Bird of paradise being so fast growing, you will likely need to repot it a few times throughout the years to ensure your plant stays healthy. Always make use of a container with drainage holes, no matter how pretty that pot cover is without the holes.