Grow your own tropical paradise with Strelitzia 'Bird of Paradise' seeds. The Strelitiza Reginae, Orange Bird of Paradise, produces sword-shaped leaves, orange flowers and stay relatively shrub-like. On the other hand, the Strelitzia Nicolai, or White Bird of Paradise, grows into a tall tree with wider leaves and white flowers. Not sure which one to grow? Try both!
Instructions:
To plant these seeds, pull the orange tufts out of the seed, you can optionally lightly cut the coat(scarify) the seeds to improve germination, and then pre-soak the seeds in warm-hot water for 1-2 days prior to planting.
Once the seeds have been soaked, plant them in a moist planting medium, cover with a humidity dome(make sure condensation forms on the humidity dome to know it's working correctly), keep consistently >70F, and keep brightly lit and away from direct sunlight.
We recommend using the following to sow the seeds:
(Find more info on germinating seeds by going to our seed guide)
These seeds are for the 2026 growing season.
About the seeds:
|
difficulty
|
beginner | intermediate | advanced
|
|
germination time
|
2-3 months
|
|
depth
|
1"
|
|
spacing
|
1-3 seeds per nursery pot or soil pod
|
|
recommended planter
|
2“-4" nursery pot(no terra cotta for germination)
|
|
time to maturity
|
~1 year for plant, 3-4 years until flowers
|
|
seed prep
|
pre-soak | scarification | stratification | none
|
|
method
|
greenhouse | paper towel method
|
|
temperature
|
75F - 85F
|
About the Plants:
|
description
|
reginae: bush-like growth, long and big leaves with exotic bright orange flowers resembling a tropical bird
nicolai: large tree with larger, more full leaves and white flowers.
|
|
difficulty
|
beginner | intermediate | advanced
|
|
growth speed
|
slow | medium | fast
|
|
size of plant
|
reginae: 5'-6'
nicolai: 30' tall outdoors, <15' in containers
|
|
light
|
full sun | partial sun | shade | grow lights
|
|
soil
|
well-draining coconut coir/peat-based potting mix
|
|
temperature
|
warm | cool
|
|
pet-friendly
|
cats | dogs | no
|
|
pests
|
mealy bugs, scale, aphids, spider mites |
|
fertilization
|
heavy | moderate | light
|
