How to Cut Back a Bird of Paradise

Bird of paradise plant in bloom.

Bird of paradise is an herbaceous plant native to South Africa. Bird of paradise grows 3 to 5 feet tall, depending on the variety. Cutting back bird of paradise in early spring helps to maintain a healthy, thriving plant.

Things You'll Need

• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Remove spent flowers by snipping through the base of the flower stalk with pruning shears.

2. Cut each branch back to half of its length using pruning shears held perpendicular to the branch. Repeat with all branches.

3. Cut back vertical flower stalks to half of their length using the pruning shears.

Tips & Warnings

• Red varieties of bird of paradise may be cut back to 1 foot high if size becomes a problem, and can be pruned during active growth periods.

• Strelitzia and Yellow varieties of bird of paradise generally require only the removal of spent blooms and their stalks, but may be cut back by half during dormancy.

• Stems on Mexican varieties of bird of paradise should be pruned to just shorter than the cage of the plant.

References

• University of Florida IFAS Extension: Bird-of-Paradise
• Gardening Know How: Birds of Paradise Pruning Tips