Temperature
60–85°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Bird of paradise
Strelitzia reginae
Bird of paradise wants direct light and water every 7 to 12 days, once the top two inches are dry. Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans.
Light
Direct
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
A south or west window within three feet of the glass. It will not flower indoors on anything less.
Water
Every 7–12 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top two inches are dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Wants 50%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Moderate
Scores 3 of 5: Scores 3 of 5: easy to keep alive and hard to flower. It needs several years, a lot of direct sun and to be pot-bound before it blooms indoors.
Habit
Clumping
Grows to 36–72 inches. No support needed.
Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans — poison severity low
Contains hydrocyanic acid in the seeds. Reported signs include nausea, vomiting, drowsiness.
If a pet has chewed a leaf, rinse the mouth with water and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Full detail for cats → Full detail for dogs →
What each authority says
- ASPCA
- No record page found under any name tested.
- NC State Extension
- Poison severity: Low · GI irritants · Mild nausea, vomiting, drowsiness; caused mainly by fruit and seeds
Light
Direct light. A south or west window within three feet of the glass. It will not flower indoors on anything less.
Water
Every 7 to 12 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top two inches are dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | soak and dry |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top two inches are dry |
Soil and potting
Two parts potting soil, one part perlite, one part bark.
Repot roughly every 3 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- No flowers monitor
- Brown crispy edges monitor
- Yellow leaves this week
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-12.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Spider mites act today
- Scale insects this week
- Mealybugs this week
Propagation
Division in soil. Roots in 42 to 90 days.
| Preferred method | division |
|---|---|
| Medium | soil |
| Time to root | 42–90 days |
| Node required | No |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Strelitzia reginae Checked 2026-09-12.
- Wikidata entity Q148904 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Strelitzia reginae Accepted name; family Strelitziaceae. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Strelitzia reginae Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Photograph: Scott Bauer, USDA, Wikimedia Commons , Public domain.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02