So , you need winterize your shuttlecock of paradise .
These gorgeous , summertime cosmetic plant are widely popular among flowering garden .
Their signature plumage resembles that of a tropical bird prod its head word out of a heavy , green foliation .
They march this flower all summer long into the fall and even early winter . But if you need to continue this plant and have it come back after the winter , special precautions are to be taken .
in good order overwinteringStrelitzia reginaeis straightforward for those in quick mood ( zone 10 + ) .
But for colder surround , there are some things you may do to keep it warm and healthy throughout the frigid season .
So let ’s plunge correctly into it and talk about how to properly care for bird of paradise over the winter !
Guide capacity
Quick care guide
Winterizing bird of paradise
The bird of paradise is a democratic flower cosmetic industrial plant that resides in the Strelitziaceae family .
Also know as the crane flower , this infamous plant gets its name from the bird - like petals that it forms ( credibly not one that you ’ve seen in urban areas ) .
This plant is native to South Africa , but has been export to countries with resistant , tender atmospheric condition , include the US .
Because of its warm ancestry , it prefers tropical weather which put a trouble for many gardeners here in the US .
This plant life does n’t do that hot in the frigidness and will require to be keep on warm during the entire frost time of year if you desire it to produce prime again after the wintertime .
gratefully , the cognitive process leaven to be straightforward and not too heavy .
Hardiness zones
Strelitzia reginaewill thrive in hardiness zones 10 , 11 , and also 12 , but those in lower zones ( such as zones 8 and 9 ) will require to provide special care for their flora .
seek to imbed this knockout in zone 8 is reasonably crazy and is n’t easy . It ’ll require a mint of special care to provide this tropical flora the surround it need .
This is a heating plant love plant that needs sustainable temperatures to properly develop those gorgeous razz appendages and does n’t tolerate moth-eaten temperatures well .
This can make it a challenge for those growing it in colder regions , which will require some intermission to winter decently .
Can they survive winter?
It depends . If you ’re locate in a colder region that reaches freezing temperatures during the stale winter nights , you ’ll have to be extra careful to provide them some TLC during this time .
moth-eaten regions that are constantly dipping below freezing will struggle to sustain these plant . Warmer area zona 10 and above should have no trouble enjoying their blooms twelvemonth after year .
Birds of paradise are tropical plants by nature , so they require a warm environment to boom . They can handle SOME frigidness but are n’t considered to be a cold - unfearing works .
They have thin leaves that give them the Harold Hart Crane flower appearance and they can be damaged or wilted by the cold .
What happens if it gets too cold?
You ’ll notice the leaves will become xanthous and “ torn . ”
This is the most obvious signaling of inhuman damage to boo of paradise flora .
They ’ll have a ragged coming into court at the leaf sharpness and you ’ll have to rationalize them off . You may also fleck damage to the stems , which sour them brown or black . The plant will droop and become very lanky over clock time .
The trunk of the industrial plant may become colored with spots or visible circles that feel soft to the feeling .
Will they come back after a freeze?
This depends on how long the freezing lasts . Bird of paradise can handle a few hour of freeze out temperatures , but nothing more than that .
You ’ll start to see the wilt leaves , drooping stem , and soft spots take shape on the stalking . When this fall out , your flora is in decisive condition and you ’ll need to move it indoors or insulate it- although this should ’ve been done calendar week ago .
If the plant succumbs to the frost , your plant may die in the cold . So this is why you need to get it quick for wintertime in the fall- NOT at the start of winter ( former surrender is preferable ) .
How much cold can it tolerate?
A bird of paradise can brook cold temperature as low as 24F , and not for extended period .
If your area on a regular basis souse below 24F multiple times during the winter , you ’ll have to be extra careful with this plant and offer it with some kind of warmth- whether it be taking the plant indoors or using some kind of insularity to keep it warm .
Remember that 24F is the LOWEST possible temperature you should let the flora suffer .
Even temperature in the miserable 30s will start to harm the leaves , buds , and stem . You should keep the temperatures above 40F if potential . Do n’t play it risky , ally .
How to overwinter bird of paradise
Here are some method acting you’re able to utilize to winter raspberry of paradise during those chilly nights .
depend on where you ’re located , your local atmospheric condition , and how you ’re produce them ( in the soil or a container ) , you could utilise whatever applies to your situation .
These are gorgeous plants that call for limited care if you contrive to enjoy them again next twelvemonth , so do n’t hesitate to provide some sustenance to it even if costs you some fourth dimension . It wo n’t be much for the yearlong blossom you ’ll enjoy next outflow !
Overwintering indoors in containers
There are five master species of this plant , but many less screw strain .
If you have the smaller cultivar ( S. reginae ) , you may get away with planting it inside a spate or container .
This is the smaller variant of the industrial plant and the only one that ’s suitable for container planting in my opinion .
You ’ll still take a large pile to harness this baby though , so make certain you get the biggest container you’re able to check in your garden . You ’ll need at least 14 ” of width and depth for the unseasoned plants and duple or triple the sizing for build S. reginae .
Make trusted it has adequate drainage holes on the bottom for such a heavy volume of grime and plant aside .
Use a mixture of gamey - tone pot grease with a loamy grain that ’s at large and well - draining . Add some perlite to the grease and mix them thoroughly .
Get your raspberry of promised land and place it in the pot and start satisfy it up with the mixed bag . Then water for the first metre . Give it enough water to verify it run out well and saturates the soil with moisture .
And there you have it !
A razz of paradise maturate in a pot ! Who ’d have thought , eh ?
Transplanting to a larger potting container
Keep in mind that when it grow , you ’ll have to graft the bird to a magnanimous pot .
However , this makes it soft to winterize your industrial plant for now .
you could transplant subsist bird of paradise into containers for the winter , as long as the throne container provided is large enough . This put to work best with younger plants that are small .
you’re able to grow smaller snort of Shangri-la plants in containers first for the first few year , then transfer to a larger lot so you’re able to carry on overwinter every undivided year .
Or you could start in container first and then transplant into the soil when it arise large enough .
Of naturally , you ’ll have to take metre to winterise it in the cold-blooded season when your plant life is sitting outside during the wintertime chill .
Place near a source of warmth (especially for zone 9)
Place the container near a cheery windowsill and keep the temperature stable during the winter . take note that this will shift the bloom production it produces next time of year .
The near blooms come up from the natural outdoors . But for those in cold geographical zone , this is n’t always potential . Oh well . At least you still have your plant to enjoy !
Do n’t forget to irrigate your indoor razz of paradise . It still take water during the winter , UNLESS temperatures swing below freezing ( which should n’t inside your home plate ? ) .
Do n’t overwater . You do n’t need as much as you do during the regular time of year . Just impart urine when the grunge is dry . You do n’t require to keep it most 24/7 .
Allow it to dry out out between waterings . 2 - 3 times per week should be enough . This is to protect your plant life from rotting or mold that stems from water ( make trusted the H2O drains well also ) .
Overwintering outdoors
razzing of paradise can winterize alfresco in the dirt as well . That ’s the favourite method because it bring forth the best blooms next season .
These large plants are n’t meant to be grown in container , so if you live in a warmer climate ( zones 10 , 11 , or 12 ) , you should be happy that you could safely winter them without much effort .
As long as you may keep them above 34F throughout the winter , you should be OK .
But watch out for parky nights and cold snaps where the temperature dip below the low 30s . It only takes a few hours of chill to damage these works .
You may start out to notice withering leaves , throw away foliage , or damaged buds one day after after a dusty snap .
Bird of paradise are n’t cold - sturdy nor tolerant of the coldness when it gets below 30F. So be wary of that .
There are some thing you’re able to do to facilitate keep the temperature stable throughout the wintertime and protect your plant from the cold .
Stop fertilizing in the fall
When fall rolls around , stop applying fertiliser to your plants .
This only add fuel for the flora to preserve growing , which you do n’t want during the winter .
Winterizing is all about set the works into a abeyant state and conserving energy , rather than squander it on break blooms . The plant life should be starve of fertilizer in the former drop , especially if you have a warm one .
More plant photo from fertiliser will just make the plant more susceptible to harm in the cold .
Reduce watering
When the weather cools , do n’t water as often as you normally do .
There ’s no pauperization to supply excess water that ’ll just sit there and puddle as the works should n’t expect as much water during overwintering .
Halting plant food combine with a lacrimation step-down should help ground the bird of paradise . You only need to irrigate about once a week for outdoor plant . get the dirt go teetotal between waterings .
redundant water may lead to ancestor rot , especially if the filth does n’t drain well .
Cut it back
Cutting back should be done to avail protect the plant .
apply a abrupt span of pruners or shears and put on your safety gloves .
Gently cut the entire plant ( that ’s the stem , leaves , and blossom ) down to just under 12 ” above soil level .
This will be middling atrocious for those who ’ve never done it before , but you ’ll be glad you did next time of year when the key comes back to life and gives you those bird - shaped flowers all time of year long .
Cutting back help oneself preserve vigour that otherwise would be wasted during the overwintering cognitive operation .
The stored energy can then be utilise by the flora to produce large and more abundant flowers next twelvemonth when it ’s back in time of year .
Mulch the plant
add some gamy quality , constitutional mulch serves as a natural nonconductor for the remaining , expose part of the radical .
After you reduce it back , the stem will still be susceptible to cold conditions , and adding some isolate material like mulch provides ample aegis .
Similar to plants likepeonies , chrysanthemum , andhyacinths , a upright , loose mulch can brace temperature at the dirt level .
Get some barque mulch and sprinkle it over the margin of the industrial plant .
Do NOT add mulch to the trunk of the plant . This may induce plant life rot .
The mulch should be evenly distributed around the entire plant . Put it over the rootstock , fore , and root organization . This will help keep the temperatures stable during the frigid nights .
The mulch does n’t needs “ shield ” it from stale .
But rather , it helps the process of frigid seeping into the dirt slack down so that the temperatures remain comparatively unchanging .
you may also utilise straw mulch as a substitute to bark mulch .
Use a stratum of 3 ” organic mulch around the stem and root system .
But make certain you do n’t have any touching the factual trunk of the flora ( stem ) or else you may introduce the hypothesis of plant rot .
Mulch can help protect against specific pestilence also . Use straw , pine , or bark chips for best results .
null using grass or compost to mulch because these are moisture absorbing and can bring to root rot .
murder mulch in the outflow and summertime so the plant can grow . Only mulch during the winter .
Add compost
Using rich , organic compost adds another layer of warmth to your plant .
This can add some nutrient to the soil and regulate estrus in the root word system . Compost also helps with drainage to keep moisture travel and prevent root rot .
believe putting at least 6 ” of compost to help mold nighttime temperatures .
Use leaves to regulate the warmth
you’re able to bestow some natural leaves as a material to aid keep a nice thickset blanket over your skirt of paradise .
Any leaves will do , just check that that they ’re not overrun with rot or mold . That ’s the last affair you desire for your plant during the winter - to become molded .
The leaves can be commit over the mulch as a second layer .
Do n’t care about it blowing aside during the wind shiver .
A few leaves missing wo n’t do anything . Just substitute when necessary .
Cover your plant with row covers
If you want a nigh surefire solution , you may use row covers to protect your bird of paradise for good .
There are lots of different quarrel cover song designs and materials available , so I wo n’t go into detail for each one .
Look for material that ’s breathable , but not too lax or fine so that the cold-blooded seeps in easily .
Get one with sturdy stakes and plow up your plant life as mastermind . you’re able to combine the row underwrite with mulch , leaves , and wheat to assist keep it warm .
This is a safe solution for those with windy atmospheric condition . The dustup get across will aid keep the mulch and other insulating materials in spot .
Or try burlap covers
Burlap covers can also be an awesome way to protect your bird of paradise from the harsh winter .
A unmarried , large piece of burlap or gunny - similar textile can do the trick .
Tip : you do n’t have to buy gunny specifically for PLANTS . you may bribe any rude burlap and use it for a plant life covering fire .
habituate some stakes to hold it in place and make it decent and sturdy . Extend it to the grease and encompass the entire 12 ” stem with it .
You do n’t postulate to make it super closely to where your works starts to scramble under the covering . There should redundant space around the sides so it has wriggle room- literally .
Choose the right location
Planting your raspberry of paradise on a hillside that ’s exposed or even an artificial microclimate that brings cold-blooded atmospheric condition both can result in legal injury to your industrial plant .
Choosing the proper location can help minimize the risk of legal injury in the future , such as an area that ’s sheltered or protect from cold-blooded winds .
view transplanting your plant or cull a place that ’s safe if you ’re already going through the hassle of agitate your plant around .
If you ’re go from container to soil , then this is a estimable time to do an evaluation of your property and clean the right place to plant it .
Sheltered area with sunshine would be ideal . Exposed arena bid zero protection to your plant during the wintertime . take a gay field with protection from cold twist .
The protection can be from exterior construction , plants , or even the walls of your home . Be creative .
This may serve forbid utmost temperature during the winter and then make your job a lot less effortful .
Further reading
Here are some additional references you may happen utile :
Now your plant’s ready for winter
You now have all the knowledge you need to winterize your flora safely so they derive back with those gorgeous blossom next spring .
If you found this Sir Frederick Handley Page helpful or have any feedback / question , please let me know .
I took interest into microflora and microgreens before it became mainstream . The idea of growing an entire ecosystem on a tiny scale simply was astounding . That ’s where I discover that I actually like leaven plants and was n’t as much of a inglorious thumb as I thought . Now , I ’m relaying what I ’ve learned to others who are getting into the hobbyhorse in a fashion that anyone can understand .
