Tropical Bird of Paradise Tough to Pull Off in the Desert

Q. How do I plant and care for the “Tropical Bird of Paradise" in the desert?

Growing Tropical Bird of Paradise in the Desert

A. These are those very pretty flowering plants with banana-like leaves you see in San Diego or other places where it does not freeze. Tropical bird of paradise, as its name indicates and you are probably aware, will not handle any freezing temperatures. So this is a plant which has to be protected during the wintertime from extreme cold and winter winds.

            The plant itself can handle temperatures to the mid twenty’s for a short time but the flowers cannot. If flowers or flower buds are present it cannot be subjected to any freezing temperatures at all. This means you can grow it in containers or in the ground provided you take the time and cover it or move it into a protected area to keep it from freezing.

          The second very important item is modification of the soil. Our desert soils will be brutal to tropical bird of paradise but not impossible provided they are amended appropriately. This means you will need to heavily amend any local soil with about 50 to 75% manure-based compost. After planting, the soil should be covered with 3 to 4 inches of organic mulch such as wood chips but not bark mulch.

          Fertilize with manure-based or slow release fertilizers every three months during the growing season. Make sure they are planted with an eastern exposure in filtered shade and not subjected to intense afternoon sunlight.