How To Propagate Bird Of Paradise? [Find Out Here]

Bird of paradise is a beautiful plant known for its brightly colored leaves. You can easily care for this plant or grow other similar plants from it through propagation. The key is to learn how to propagate bird of paradise plants.

You can propagate the birds of paradise plant through plant division. This is where you use a sharp and clean knife to chop cuttings from the plant’s rhizome and plant it. Also, let the cuts on the divisions heal before watering them. Early spring is the best time to propagate birds of paradise.

Propagating plants helps you get new plants from a parent one. That means you can get more houseplants without spending a lot of money. The guidelines for propagating plants differ depending on the plant, and this post focuses on the bird of paradise.

What Is A Bird Of Paradise Plant?

The bird of paradise is an exceptional and radiantly colored South African native plant. It thrives in 21 degrees Celsius daytime and 13 degrees Celsius nighttime temperatures. The plant does not grow beyond 5 feet.

The colors of the plant’s flowers differ depending on its species. Note that there are five species of the bird of paradise plant. While this plant does not produce fruit, it is a preferred houseplant because it adds aesthetics to your home.

How To Propagate Bird Of Paradise Plant From Cuttings

Acquiring the bird of paradise plant is relatively costly because of its uniqueness and attractiveness. However, you do not need to spend money on more plants after acquiring the first one. Instead, you can propagate the one you already have.

Different techniques for propagating birds of paradise exist. The first one is propagation from cuttings. Propagation by cuttings or division is the preferred method because it produces quick results. Below are some steps for propagating this plant from cuttings:

Step 1: Wait For The Appropriate Time

The best time to propagate birds of paradise is in early spring. This is because the plant grows best at this time. So, wait until the plant has outgrown its pot so you can propagate it.

Step 2: Un-Pot The Plant

Before un-potting, the plant, tap around the container’s rim and squeeze its outer edges to loosen the soil. If this does not help, water the soil to loosen it before removing the plant. The purpose of un-potting the soil is to access its roots and rhizomes.

Step 3: Slice The Cuttings

Propagating this plant differs from other houseplants because you cannot do it by simply cutting portions from the leaf and stem. Instead, propagation demands that you cut a slice of the parent plant’s root so you can have abundant tissue to reproduce a new plant.

Therefore, when slicing the cuttings, ensure to cut a portion of the rhizome (underground stems that develop into roots) and the root. The pieces you cut from the plant are called divisions. Note: You should determine the number of divisions you will make before you start cutting. Also, base your decision on the root’s health and structure.

Step 4: Scatter Rooting Hormone On The Divisions

The next step is to scatter rooting hormone on the exposed cuts on each division. Doing this encourages the roots to develop faster.

Step 5: Pot The Divisions

Finally, plant the divisions in a pot after filling it with porous soil. However, do not water the divisions immediately. Instead, give them a few days for the cuts to health before watering. From there, ensure to keep the soil moist in the warmer months and water it less in winter. Also, do not forget to re-pot the parent plant and water it. More so, ensure that each dissection has a fan with linked roots.

How To Propagate Bird Of Paradise In Water

Apart from propagation from cuttings or divisions, you can also grow new birds of paradise plants in water. Here, you do not need to slice portions of the plant’s stem and roots. Instead, you can use its seeds. This method requires more patience because it takes longer for the reproductions to grow. Follow the steps below to propagate birds of paradise in water:

Step 1: Get The Seeds

The birds of paradise seeds are usually firm and black, with orange-red tips. It helps if you collect the seeds before harvest to propagate them.

Step 2: Soak The Seeds Before Harvest

Soak the plant seeds in water for about three to five days to help them germinate. Also, change the water daily. You can take out their outer seed coat to fasten the germination.

Step 3: Plant The Seeds

Plant the seeds about an inch deep in a wet potting mix. Next, place the planted seeds in a warm area (around 29 degrees Celsius), and use plastic to cover the pot. Doing this helps retain the moisture and humidity in the soil.

Step 4: Wait For The Sprout

Depending on the temperature and moisture conditions, it should take about a month or two for the new plant to sprout. In addition, the new plant may take several years to flower. That means you need an abundance of patience for this process.

How To Propagate New Bird Of Paradise Shoots

You can also reproduce new birds of paradise plants from shoots. Cutting the shoots from the parent plant’s rhizome is easier than the division technique. These are straightforward guidelines you ought to follow:

1. Identify bird of paradise shoots around your parent plant or in your garden.
2. Dig around the plant to expose its root system. (An alternative is to remove that plant part from the pot).
3. Slice the plant’s rhizome with a sterilized knife.
4. Give the cutting a couple of days to dry or heal.
5. Prepare a high-quality potting mix and plant the shoot inside it.
6. Water the plant and position it away from direct sunlight.
7. Maintain a watering routine (preferably thrice per week).

If you follow the procedure correctly, you should see the new plant developing sooner than you might anticipate. New leaves often start coming up in two weeks or a month.

When Do The Bird Of Paradise Plants Boom? And Much More

The time it takes for the bird of paradise plant to bloom depends on your plant’s age when you acquired it. For instance, if you acquire a mature plant, it should bloom at least yearly, particularly during summer. These plants bloom in summer because of the ideal temperature conditions, food, and sunlight.

Every blooming season brings forth around three dozen flower spikes. In contrast, if your plant is not mature or is newly planted, it may take years for it to reach maturity and start blooming.

Elements like insufficient light, overwatering, and excessively deep roots can prevent your plant from blooming. Manipulating your plant’s environment to create the ideal elements can help your plant bloom in any season, including winter. However, you can only do this if you keep the plant indoors.

Conclusion

The core thing you should note about propagating birds of paradise is that you cannot do it from regular cuttings. Instead, have divisions from a mature plant that can successfully grow into a new plant. You can only propagate this plant from mature plants. If your plant is still small and has not started blooming annually, you should not waste time trying to propagate it.

Learning to propagate birds of paradise is easy if you pay attention to the essential elements above. With abundant patience and the right conditions, you should have several birds of paradise plants radiating in your lovely home.