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4.7 out of 5 (126 experiences)


About White Bird of Paradise
The highly sought after bird of paradise has been cultivated for nearly 250 years. Their showy flowers resemble a bird in flight, and give them their name. These majestic plants are pictured on the 50 cent rand in their native South Africa and are the floral emblem of Los Angeles. In the wild, they’re pollinated by sunbirds, a group of small birds with brightly colored and iridescent feathers. 🦜
Taxonomy
Strelitzia nicolai
Strelitzia
Strelitziaceae
Zingiberales
Also known as
Variegated Bird of Paradise

How to care for White Bird of Paradise

How often to water your White Bird of Paradise

every 9
White Bird of Paradise needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
9

Check the growing potential in your area
A plant's growing potential is determined from its location, the time of year, and current local weather.

Select a city to check sunlight intensity

Finding light for White Bird of Paradise in your home

a window
White Bird of Paradise may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.
Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of White Bird of Paradise in your home 🏡.

How to fertilize White Bird of Paradise

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your White Bird of Paradise after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

White Bird of Paradise is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!
Water Needs
White Bird of Paradise prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Sunlight Needs
White Bird of Paradise may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.
Toxicity
White Bird of Paradise is not safe to consume. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian. If you have children, cats, or dogs in the home, we suggest keeping this plant out of reach.
Humidity
White Bird of Paradise doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.
Soil
White Bird of Paradise does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!
Fertilizer
White Bird of Paradise should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!
Dormancy
It’s common for White Bird of Paradise to go dormant in the wintertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.
Native Region
White Bird of Paradise is native to South Africa.
Flowers
Yes, you may see your White Bird of Paradise bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.
Growth Pattern
White Bird of Paradise is a clumping plant, meaning new growth will emerge from the soil around the parent plant.
Growing Outdoors
USDA Hardiness Zone
White Bird of Paradise can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10a-12a. Find your local hardiness zone here.
Propagation
White Bird of Paradise can be propagated by division into new individual plants.
- Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
- If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
- Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
- Repot the parent plant back into its original pot
Yellow Leaves
Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.
Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in White Bird of Paradise, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.
Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!
Care Summary for White Bird of Paradise
White Bird of Paradise
Greg recommends:

0.5 cups every 9 days

< 3ft from a window

Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say












Birds of paradise like to be root bound! They only need a big enough pot to not tip over. Don’t repot too often or it will stress this big baby out and make it not bloom.
Mine is massive and easily almost six feet tall so plan to give your plant lots of room.
My favorite plant!






This might be one of my favorite plants. It was my very first maybe that’s why. Very easy to care for although I did have a problem with mealy bugs. I used horticulture oil twice. Let it sit on the plant for a few days after I sprayed it outside. Also killed all the bugs that I could see with alcohol on a q tip the days between treating it. Then brought it into the shower and gave it a good rinse. They haven’t been back since. It’s in a south facing window with lots of bright direct/indirect light.







I’ve had her for almost a year now, hasn’t died, but sure looks almost dead!! I’ve tried so may things. Indoor, outdoor, bigger pot, more water, less water, repotting just in case of pests or overwatering, and nothing. Still has been a downhill spiral of my poor bird of paradise looking like it’s being abused lol. Any tips would be appreciated, shawty really struggling😭







Definitely needs a larger pot so it can grow correctly. It doesn’t grow in the cold months but will bloom a new leaf roughly every month if you water this plant every 2-3 days. I usually water the plant everyday though during warm months since it’s very dry in my home.







I find that she grows better under bright indirect light, so keep her close to the window. She thrives under lots of humidity as well. The leaves grow in so beautiful and lush. Definitely a plant i’d recommended. Just make sure to water her evenly as well.




