Bird of Paradise Orange Blue Crest

What Bird of Paradise Orange Blue Crest is

Bird of Paradise Orange Blue Crest (Strelitzia reginae) is a perennial flower of the Strelitziaceae family. Attention! The pack contains 1 seeds!

The bird of paradise is a dramatic plant with distinctive flowing orange and midnight-blue flowers that resemble an exotic bird peeking out from the broad leaves in autumn, winter and spring.

Although this flower is often associated with tropical places such as Hawaii, the plant is actually native to South Africa.

It grows wild in the Eastern Cape among other shrubs on riverbanks and in clearings in coastal scrub, where it is an important source of nectar for birds.

In the USA it is widely used as an ornamental plant in Southern California and Florida – and is even the official flower of the city of Los Angeles. It is also often used as a cut flower in the flower trade.

Strelitzia (“bird of paradise”) is an exotic pot plant with flowers like a bird’s head.

Key features

• Measured germination rate of the batch: 85%
• Seeds per packet: 0–1 pcs (0.2 g)
• Seed origin: Germany
• Sowing: February and March; seedlings
• Flowering: July – October
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow Bird of Paradise Orange Blue Crest

Bird of Paradise Orange Blue Crest seeds are sown in February and March. The plants flower from July to October. The months are a guide for a temperate climate — in warmer areas sow 1–2 weeks earlier, in cooler or upland areas, later.

How to sow and grow Bird of Paradise Orange Blue Crest

• Sowing method: seedlings
• Depth: 1–2 cm
• Spacing: in a pot
• Germination: 30–90 days at 25 °C
• Position: sunny spot

The bird of paradise can be propagated by seed or division. The seeds germinate slowly (it can take up to 8 weeks or more) and it will take 4-7 years for the plant to start flowering. For best results sow fresh seeds in spring. Soak the hard seeds for 24 hours and remove the bright orange tuft of hairs attached to the seed, then place 10 cm deep in a moist potting mix and keep warm. Pot on when the seedlings have 2-3 leaves. Grow in lower light than mature plants and do not restrict root growth, as this will slow the overall development of the plant. Plants that have been flowering for several years can be divided, but this may prevent the plant from flowering again for a few years, or young offsets can be removed from the parent plant.

Soak the seeds for 48 hours.

Flowering and uses

Flowers after 3–5 years.

Frequently asked questions

When should Bird of Paradise Orange Blue Crest be sown?

The recommended sowing months are February and March. Sowing method: seedlings.

How many seeds are in the packet?

The packet contains 0–1 seeds, pack size 0.2 g.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 85%. The test was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions; in the field, emergence depends on soil, temperature and moisture.