Please help! I have a
five year old bird-of -paradise which is very spindly, and has never bloomed.
The leaves that it does get flop over. I really don’t know what to do with it,
but I’ve nursed it along too long now. I started it from a little stick I
brought back from Hawaii. It is in a pot and I bring it indoors during the fall
and winter. What can you tell me about this plant that can help make it bloom?
(North Little Rock)
Bird-of-paradise plants are not the easiest plant to get to bloom in our environment. They like and need high light intensities to bloom. They need to be five to six years old before they can bloom, so your plant is now the right age. During the spring and summer, fertilize it every three to four weeks with a high phosphorous fertilizer, such as super bloom. Allow the soil surface to dry out slightly between watering during active growth, and allow to get drier during the winter months. Sunlight is critical--even for the foliage. A minimum of four hours of direct sunlight is a must.