How do I trim a bird of paradise plant?
Use loppers, hand pruners or a pruning saw, but never hedge trimmers which will make rough cuts and leave ragged, damaged edges. Take all leaves and stems back to just above the ground. Remove dead flowers to the base of the plant and clean up any old vegetation that has dropped in or around the plant.
Should you trim birds of paradise?
After about three weeks of elegant plumage, the bird of paradise starts to lose its glamour and starts to droop. This is the time to trim your bird, eliminating the energy it’s taking away from the rest of the plant. It can be done at any time during the year.
Where do you cut leaves on a bird of paradise?
How to Trim Dead Leaves on a Bird of Paradise
- Grasp the top of the dried, tan dead leaf with one hand and trace it down the stem to its point of origin at the base of the plant.
- Cut the dead leaf off with a bypass/hand pruners.
- Discard the dead leaf into the compost pile or rubbish bin.
How often should you prune birds of paradise?
Tend to Red varieties in the early spring and midsummer. Depending on the level of growth throughout the spring and summer, trim the flowers again in the middle of summer. Red Bird of Paradise flowers are very hardy and can handle heavy pruning two times per year if the plant is healthy.
How do you fix droopy bird of paradise?
Keep the soil just barely moist during the spring and summer growing season, when the plant will use more water. In winter, cut back on watering and allow the top two inches of soil to dry out before watering again. If you notice that leaves are drooping or curling, that’s a sign that your bird of paradise needs water.
What is a pruning knife?
Whatever needs doing in the garden, the pruning knife is the tool of first resort. Pruning knife uses run the gamut from trimming vines to harvesting veggies. You can use a pruning knife to slice string, cut flowers, prune vines, and graft trees.
Why do birds of paradise leaves curl?
New plants need plenty of water at establishment or their newer leaves will curl in protest. Chilly temperatures tend to make the leaves curl inward as protection. Poor soil and improper soil pH will also present as curling leaves on bird of paradise.
Do you deadhead bird of paradise?
Why Should I Deadhead Bird of Paradise Flowers? According to the University of Hawaii, failure to properly deadhead bird of paradise flowers can result in a shrub that is completely covered in dead organic matter.
How do you prune a desert bird of paradise?
Generally, you should prune dead wood in early spring and otherwise just do light selective thinning as needed to maintain the size. Hard pruning Tecoma stans-orange jubilee back to 12-inch canes is sometimes done to reduce the size and to maintain its upright shape.
How long do bird of paradise plants live?
Strelitzia reginae is slow growing and can take three to five years to bloom and can be propagated by dividing old clumps. Giant bird of paradise (Strelitzia nicolai) can live 50 to 150 years.
How do you keep a bird of paradise small?
Use Small Size Container Smaller Bird of Paradise plants do better in a tightly-fitting container because their roots are more tightly bound. Allowing your Strelitzia to expand its roots means more room for new leaves, which in turn means more nutrients for the plant’s dazzling foliage.