Bird of paradise is a giant, reasonably easy-to-grow plant that gives a unique tropical flair to any interior room.
With its glossy, banana-shaped leaves fanning out, this vast, upright plant gives a lush, tropical flair to any environment.
For the propagation of Bird of Paradise, you’ll need a piece of the plant’s rhizome to reproduce a Bird of Paradise. A stem or leaf without the tissue needed to grow a new plant is useless. So instead, divide or start from seed to reproduce your Bird of Paradise.
Even inside, a bird of paradise may grow to be over six feet tall with adequate care. Its large, arching leaves create a bold, beautiful statement in your house.
Propagating birds of paradise for the sake of growing them is a lucrative, particle, and exciting journey that you may participate in at any time.
So let’s dive into the process right away!
Table of Contents Show
Reasons to Propagate Bird of Paradise
Are there any reasons to propagate your Bird of Paradise? Not always, to be sure.
You can propagate this beauty for the sake of multiplying the beauty of the plant around your space.
Another reason for propagation could be rooted emerging from the container or splitting. It may occur in potted plants that have grown too large.
Read more to find out different ways of Propagating Cape Primerose Plant.
Best Time to Propagate Bird of Paradise
For different ways of propagating, the beautiful bird of paradise demands different times and seasons.
Early spring is the best time to propagate bird of paradise cuttings by slicing a section of rhizome with a sharp, clean knife.
Similarly, the most significant time to divide a bird of paradise is in early spring, just before the first flush of new growth shows.
However, it is essential to note that potted indoor plants may begin producing new growth sooner than expected, depending on indoor temperatures and plant health.
Thus, You should do the necessitating division in the late winter.
Bird of Paradise Propagation – A Complete Guide
Although patience is required, the multiplication of the plant is an excellent technique to develop new plants, whether to supplement existing plants or to assure their survival in colder climates year after year.
Here are some of the most common and easy ways to propagate and increase your stock of Bird of Paradise.
1. Propagation Through Divison
When the leaves and stems of a mature Bird of Paradise are cut, they do not form roots or rhizomes.
Instead, a segment of rhizome, from which more rhizomes and stems will sprout, is required for effective propagation.
The rhizomes of the bird of paradise resemble enlarged horizontal tubers with linked roots and leaf fans.
As a result, the division is the Bird of Paradise’s version of cutting.
Instead of cutting off a leaf or stem, you’ll cut your Bird of Paradise and separate a part of the rhizome to start a new plant.
In addition, it is practical for most gardeners to propagate by division since it is virtually instantaneous and may be included in your repotting regimen.
Similarly, the freshly divided plants will have complete stems and healthy sections of the rhizome to support them after division.
Division of the plant is the most effortless approach to propagate the plant. Similarly, plants that have been flowering for at least three years are optimal for dividing.
Early spring is the optimum time to grow the plant cuttings by slicing a rhizome segment with a sharp, clean knife.
Material Required
- Sharp Knife
- Rooting Hormone
- Flowerpot with fresh potting soil
Step by Step Guide to Propagate your Bird of Paradise Through Division
1st Step: You’ll need to dig up the mother plant and the baby you’d like to propagate. It’s preferable to take the plant out of its flowerpot entirely.
Watering the plant before removing it will help loosen the soil around the roots and transfer a clean rooted plant for propagation.
2nd Step: Cut a bit of rhizome off the broken stalk of birds of paradise with a sharp and clean knife. Sterilizing the knife will ensure roots are usually linked in the majority of instances.
Therefore, it’s crucial to keep the roots apart as much as possible. Use lukewarm flowing water to separate the roots by loosening the potting soil.
3rd Step: Apply a rooting hormone evenly to the open incisions of the broken birds of paradise stalk.
4th Step: Similarly, make sure each division has a living fan with linked bird of paradise roots that aren’t dry.
5th Step: Prepare high-quality planting material for the propagation pots. When it comes to the soil mix, birds of paradise aren’t picky.
One of the suggested soils for the plant is a loamy potting mixed with sand or perlite added in.
6th Step: Lastly, Place each division of the birds of paradise into the pots prepared.
You’ll know the cutting has been reinforced when it stands straight again or produces a new leaf. Cuttings of Strelitzia usually form roots after two weeks. Therefore, new leaf growth is conceivable after these two weeks.
Important Tips
- It’s critical to get started with clean tools. Use a sharp and clean knife to propagate the plant.
- We recommend choosing a pot that is at least 20% bigger than the previous one for repotting.
- It’s common for divided plants to go through shock and seem weak for a few weeks, but they don’t need any particular nutrients to stay healthy.
2. Propagation Through Seeds
Because the bird of paradise is a blooming plant, you may harvest its seeds and successfully germinate and nurture the plant.
The plant’s seeds are typically housed in a seedpod, which you can actively remove once it has dried up in the spring.
Seed pods should appear approximately five months after hand-pollinating the blooms. Each pod will have 60-80 seeds in it.
You may gather the pods and cut them open to retrieve the seeds once the blossom has faded and died back.
The Strelitzia seeds are firm, black, and have a vivid orange fuzz on top that matches the color of the blooms.
Because the seed’s shell is so rigid, it will need to be pretreated before being put in the soil.
Seed propagation is a gratifying option for those with the resources and environment since it provides an excellent opportunity to learn about Bird of Paradise plants and their long-term demands. It’s ideal to start planting the seeds in the fall.
Is Carrot your favourite vegetable? Click here to learn how to plant carrot seeds in a pot!
Material Required
- Seeds
- Flat or tray
- Sharpe Knife
Step by Step to propagate your Bird of Paradise Through Seed Propagation
1st Step: You’re going to need some seed. If you have a mature Bird of Paradise bloom, you may harvest your seeds or get some from nurseries or greenhouses online.
2nd Step: After you’ve obtained the seedpod, split it apart and remove the bird of paradise plant’s seeds.
3rd Step: You must then soak the seeds in tepid water for 24-48 hours.
4th Step: After you’ve soaked the seeds, remove the bright orange tuft of hairs. Nick each seed from the connected tufts with a sharp knife.
5th Step: Sow the seeds 1/2 to 1 inch deep in a wet, loose, and clean seed starting media in a pot or planting tray.
6th Step: After the seeds have sprouted and developed for a few months, You may plant them outside in a sunny location with well-draining soil or the pot
Sprouts will appear after at least eight weeks. However, because the plant develops slowly, it might take a long time. Mist and cover your soil during this time to keep it moist.
Important Tips
- Birds of Paradise require exact circumstances to germinate, including plenty of indirect light, temperatures of at least 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and high humidity. Similarly, any temperature below freezing may harm the seedlings and may cause them to die.
- To keep your soil moist, spray it and cover it.
- Keep in mind that these plants need to be grown in USDA hardiness zones 10-12. In addition, in the summer, Zone 9 may maintain a Bird of Paradise, but you should bring it indoors in the winter
- Once you observe sprouts, continue to take special care of your young Birds over the next few months to a year.
Also watch,
Can you Propagate Bird of Paradise in Water?
It is difficult to propagate Bird of Paradise in water as their leaves and stems themselves do not develop roots or rhizomes when cut.
However, before propagation, you may soak the seeds in room-temperature water for at least three days to enhance germination.
How Long Before I can Pot my New Cutting?
For about eight weeks, or until the roots are firmly established, keep them in a warm environment with bright, indirect light.
You may relocate them to a more sunny place at this time. Flowering will take two to three years in new divisions.
Similarly, when the seedlings have three to four genuine leaves, you can move them to six-inch pots.
Before transplanting the plant, wait until all traces of cold weather have passed through your location.
If you wait until spring or early summer to transplant, you will have a better chance of success.
Tips to Take Care of Newly Potted Plants
After you’ve successfully grown the bird of Paradise plant, you’ll need to provide it with bird of Paradise plant care to keep it healthy and strong.
The following are some of the precautions to take when caring for a bird of paradise plant:
- First, water the plant every 1-2 weeks to keep it wet and healthy.
- Bird of Paradise will benefit from misting regularly to increase humidity as it prefers high humidity.
- To ensure optimal plant development and health, You should apply fertilizer around the plant every 2-3 months. Use an all-purpose liquid fertilizer diluted to half-strength to fertilize your bird of paradise.
- The most critical location for the cutting is near a south-facing window. This position of the window is where the majority of the light enters.
- Apply 2 to 3 inches of mulch, keeping it at least 2 inches away from the plant’s stem.
- If the disease emerges, take the required precautions to prevent the disease from spreading to other plants. For example, use a soft cloth or warm, soapy water, wipe the leaves clean.
- Similarly, if you have a fungal leaf spot, you can treat it with a fungicide. Again, Neem oil is a natural option, or you can use another fungicidal spread to treat your plant.
Growing Philodendron Prince of Orange may take a little more effort. Here is the ultimate help and care guide for you Philodendron Prince of Orange.
FAQs About Bird of Paradise Propagation
Can you Propagate Bird of Paradise Without Roots?
While You can propagate a mature Bird of Paradise through other means, their leaves and stems alone do not develop roots or rhizomes when cut.
Instead, for successful propagation, it is necessary to include a section of rhizome, from which additional rhizomes and stems will grow.
Is Bird of Paradise an Excellent Indoor Plant?
If you’re a fan of bird of paradise plants but live in a chilly region, these tropical beauties may be grown as houseplants indoors.
The plant will put on a vivid show of blossoms if given adequate sunshine and the right circumstances, adding an impression of tropical happiness to the inside of your house.
Conclusion
Growing a Bird of Paradise from seed is a time-consuming and meticulous procedure, but the joy you’ll experience after you’ve achieved a large, magnificent houseplant is unrivaled.
You’ll be on your way to a flourishing plant collection with a bit of attention and patience, and division will give you rapid rewards.
So gather your supplies and prepare for a fruitful propagation!
Are you a fan of indoor herbs? Here are 8 Best Safe Pots For Indoor Herbs in 2021!
