The White Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia nicolai) is an impressive tropical plant known for its striking white flowers and large banana-like leaves. This plant is native to South Africa and is part of the Strelitziaceae plant family. The White Bird of Paradise can grow up to 20 feet tall in its native habitat but is more often found around 6-12 feet tall when grown as a houseplant. With proper care, this stunning plant can thrive indoors, providing an exotic, tropical feel to any space. In this article, we’ll look at some quick answers on the care requirements, challenges, and benefits of growing White Bird of Paradise as an indoor plant.
Quick Answers
What are the basic care requirements for White Bird of Paradise?
The White Bird of Paradise thrives in bright, indirect light. It prefers warm temperatures between 65-85°F and high humidity. Water deeply once the top few inches of soil become dry. Fertilize monthly in the spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength.
What are some key challenges with growing this plant indoors?
The White Bird of Paradise requires bright light and high humidity which can be difficult to provide indoors. It is prone to spider mites, mealybugs, and other pests in the dry air of homes. It has a slow growth rate and can take years before flowering when grown as a houseplant.
What are the benefits of growing White Bird of Paradise?
The White Bird of Paradise adds a dramatic tropical look to indoor spaces. Its huge green leaves provide texture and its white blooms are exquisitely elegant. It can help purify indoor air and is able to tolerate some neglect making it a low maintenance houseplant.
Light Requirements
When it comes to indoor care, providing the right amount of light is critical for the White Bird of Paradise. In its native tropical habitat, this plant thrives in bright, indirect sunlight filtered through the canopy of trees. Indoors, the White Bird of Paradise will do best in a spot that receives a few hours of bright, filtered light every day. East or west-facing windows are ideal locations in the home. Direct hot midday sun should be avoided as it can scorch the leaves. If light levels are too low, growth will slow and the plant may fail to thrive or produce flowers. Maximizing light exposure is key to keeping the White Bird of Paradise healthy indoors. Consider rotating the plant or using artificial lighting to supplement natural lighting if needed.
Watering and Soil Needs
The White Bird of Paradise prefers moist, well-draining soil. The soil should be kept consistently moist but not soggy or waterlogged. Allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings before thoroughly saturating the root ball. Well-draining potting mixes for tropical plants that contain peat moss, perlite, bark chips, or sand are ideal. The pot should have drainage holes to prevent waterlogging. Water less frequently in the winter when growth slows. The leaves will begin to curl and wrinkle when the plant needs water. Yellow leaves and tip burn can indicate overwatering. Providing the right soil and following a thorough watering schedule is key to keeping this thirsty plant hydrated.
Humidity
Humidity is a key consideration when growing White Bird of Paradise indoors. This tropical plant thrives in the naturally warm, humid conditions of its native habitat. Replicating these conditions in our homes can be challenging but is vital for healthy growth. Ideal humidity levels for White Bird of Paradise are 60-70%. Low humidity can cause leaf tips to turn brown, new leaves to be smaller, and flower stalks to fail to emerge. To increase humidity, mist the plant daily, use a humidifier nearby, or place the pot on a pebble tray filled with water. Moving the plant to the bathroom or kitchen where humidity levels are higher can also help meet its needs. Monitoring humidity and making adjustments is important to prevent stress and promote lush, vigorous growth.
Temperature
As a tropical plant, warm temperatures are preferred by White Bird of Paradise. Ideal growing temperatures are between 65-85°F. Temperatures below 60°F or rapid drops in temperature can shock the plant and cause damage. Avoid placing the plant near cold drafts from windows or doors. Move the plant to the warmest location in your home and consider using a portable heater to maintain temperatures if your home is routinely kept cool. High temperatures above 85°F can also cause heat stress. Ensure the plant is not exposed to hot direct sunlight or heat vents to prevent scorching of the leaves. Providing consistent, warm temperatures will keep this tropical plant happy and support healthy growth.
Fertilizer
To fuel growth and flowering, the White Bird of Paradise benefits from monthly fertilization when actively growing in the spring and summer. Use a balanced houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength. Look for a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (N-P-K) ratio such as 15-15-15 or 20-20-20. Fertilize at half strength once every 2-4 weeks during the active growing season. Reduce fertilizer application in the fall and winter months. Excess fertilizer can burn the roots and leaves, so more is not better. Leach excess fertilizer by watering thoroughly until water drains from the bottom of the pot. Providing regular, diluted fertilizer will keep your White Bird of Paradise thriving without risk of fertilizer burn.
Pruning
To maintain its shapely form and promote flowering, the White Bird of Paradise benefits from occasional pruning. Remove any dead or damaged leaves and flower stalks as needed to improve the plant’s appearance. Pruning off old flower stalks after blooming will encourage new stalks to emerge. The lower leaves can be trimmed to create a bare stem if desired. Refrain from removing more than 1/3 of the foliage at one time to avoid stressing the plant. Sterilize pruning tools before use with isopropyl alcohol to prevent disease transmission. Pruning just a few times per year will help keep your White Bird of Paradise looking its best.
Repotting
Even though the White Bird of Paradise grows slowly indoors, it will eventually outgrow its pot and require repotting. Repot in the spring every 2-3 years as needed. Move up to the next sized pot with drainage holes, only increasing the pot size by 1-2 inches each time to avoid overpotting. Use a general purpose potting mix amended with perlite, bark chips, or coco coir to improve drainage. Carefully remove the plant from its old pot and loosen circled roots before repotting at the same level it was growing at before. Keep the soil consistently moist after repotting to reduce transplant stress. Repotting occasionally will provide fresh soil and allow the roots room to grow.
Pest Prevention
One downside to growing tropical plants indoors is their susceptibility to insect pests. The White Bird of Paradise’s huge leaves make it prone to infestations of spider mites and mealybugs in the dry air of our homes. Check the undersides of leaves regularly for signs of pests like webbing or small insects. Treat minor infestations by manually removing the pests or using insecticidal soap. For severe infestations, apply neem oil or horticultural oil as a contact insecticide. Maintaining proper humidity and avoiding drought stress can make the plant less vulnerable to pests. Quarantining new plants and periodic applications of insecticide as prevention are also useful to limit pest issues. With diligent monitoring and prompt treatment, pest damage can be avoided.
Propagation
The slow growth rate of White Bird of Paradise makes propagation from seed unrealistic for the average home grower. Propagating from divisions is the most effective way to produce new plants at home. Large, healthy root divisions can be taken from a mature mother plant in the spring. Use a sterile, sharp knife to separate a suckering shoot or side rosette along with its attached roots and repot into a small container. Keep the soil evenly moist and provide high humidity as the division establishes. Once new growth emerges, treat the young plant like a mature White Bird of Paradise. Propagating existing plants through division allows you to easily multiply this special houseplant.
Blooming Period
One of the most prized qualities of the White Bird of Paradise is its elegant white blooms that emerge from unique grey bracts. However, this plant can be slow and unreliable to flower when kept as a houseplant. Optimal conditions including bright light, warm temperatures, and high humidity are needed to coax blooms from a White Bird of Paradise grown indoors. It can take many years of growth before flowering, especially from a young plant. Patience is required, as indoor plants may only flower seasonally or sporadically compared to fast, prolific blooming in an outdoor tropical garden. Providing the best possible care makes flowering more likely but there is no guarantee of regular blooms indoors. The flowers are worth the wait when they finally do emerge.
Toxicity
An important caution with the White Bird of Paradise is that all parts of the plant contain toxic compounds that can cause side effects if ingested. The leaves, flowers, stems, and roots contain high amounts of calcium oxalate crystals. If chewed or swallowed, these needle-like crystals can cause mouth irritation, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, and gastrointestinal distress. Keep this plant out of reach of children and pets to avoid accidental poisoning. Wear gloves when handling the plant and wash hands after to prevent skin irritation from the sap. While beautiful, the White Bird of Paradise should be handled with care due to its toxic properties.
Conclusion
The large, architectural leaves and stunning white blooms of the White Bird of Paradise make it a prized but challenging indoor plant. Providing the right care by maximizing light, heat, and humidity allows this tropical plant to thrive. While relatively slow growing, the White Bird of Paradise makes an impressive statement in any indoor space. With proper placement and care focused on meeting its requirements, the White Bird of Paradise can be a superb indoor plant. Just be ready to put in some effort to help this exotic tropical plant feel at home inside. With its huge leaves and beautiful flowers, a well-grown White Bird of Paradise is a spectacular addition indoors for patient gardeners.
