With its orange, crane-like flowers, the plant looks quite attractive with its big and lush foliage. If you want to include it in your rooms, then check out these best Bird of Paradise Types You Can Grow Indoors.
Have a look at some of the best tropical foliage houseplants here
Bird of Paradise
‘Bird of Paradise‘ includes two different plant genera with similar names – Strelitzia genus, and Caesalpinia. Plants from the Strelitzia genus is mainly known as florist flower, native to humid and warm areas of South Africa; in zones 9-11, you can grow it as outdoor perennials and can be grown as a houseplant anywhere else.
The completely different genus, Caesalpinia, comprises many broadleaf evergreen shrubs and trees. They belong to desert areas, the plant and flowers are entirely different from Strelitzia species.
Best Indoor Varieties of Bird of Paradise
1. Orange Bird of Paradise
Botanical Name: Strelitzia reginae
Height: 3-5 feet
The plant has long leathery foliage similar to the leaves of a banana tree. Its flowers have blue petals and orange sepals that rest on rigid stalks, resembling the head of an exotic bird. Some of its popular cultivars are:
- Mandela’s Gold: It’s a yellow flowering variety of the common orange flowering bird of paradise.
- Glauca: It offers beautiful, glaucous leaves and stems. This variety can reach up to 18-20 tall.
- Humilis: This dwarf cultivar features oblong foliage and dense clumps. It can grow up to 18-20 inches tall.
2. Dwarf Orange Bird of Paradise
Botanical Name: Strelitzia reginae ‘Dwarf’
Height: 1-3 feet
Also known as the orange crane flower, it displays beautiful spikes of orange blooms with blue overtones from late winter to late fall. The dark green pointed leaves have blue-green undersides. It prefers bright direct or indirect sunlight and moist soil.
3. White Bird of Paradise
Botanical Name: Strelitzia nicolai
Height: 5-7 feet
This large species from the Strelitzia genus features blooms with white sepals that form a crown and a purple-blue ‘tongue.’ The gray-green large leaves resemble a relative banana tree. It does best in full sun to part shade.
4. Narrow Leaf Bird of Paradise
Botanical Name: Strelitzia juncea
Height: 4-6 feet tall
The plant has reed-shaped leaves which are not banana-like. Its orange and blue blooms are smaller than S.reginae. This variety is perfect for growing indoors and looks great as a corner plant in mid to large containers.
5. White Flowered Banana Plant
Botanical Name: Strelitzia alba
It is one of the rare variety with foliage that looks strikingly similar to that of a banana plant. Its foliage has a ‘leather’ touch to it, with green to gray hues. The plant also grows boat-shaped flower spathes in winters.
- Earl Schuppert
- December 2, 2020 At 7:43 am
- i love this optimal article
- Reply
- Myrnalie enteveros
- August 26, 2021 At 10:56 am
- I really like this flower
- Reply
i love this optimal article
I really like this flower
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