Required fields are marked *. Planted it and they are growing up just fine (although still small). So I tried the scaring method on the pointed side opposite of the area that looked like it was once attached to something. Locate the seed pod, which is an oblong, swollen pod produced where the flower was located. Just don't expect them to do much until it warms up again. Learn how your comment data is processed. Plants that are shorter than that flower here in the summer. Thx. If frosts never occur, Mexican bird of paradise … With mature heights varying from 3 to 30 feet, birds of paradise plants ( Strelitzia spp.) Bought some Pulcherima on E -Bay & its is now Spring time here in Australia so will try again with them they lose their leaves here too in winter after flowering. However, it won't hurt to hold them for a week or two and check. Do you reckon I will get flowers on them ? They like full, direct sunlight. When grown in a container, they seem happiest and bloom best when they are slightly pot bound. Red bird of paradise plants have a number of interesting features, including having nectaries outside the flower that produce nectar for visiting insects. Or perhaps the extra moisture is causing it to put on vegetation instead of flowers. Pick the seedpods when they are mature. FYI...I bought some seeds on line from Arizona but they did not want to sprout. I took some healthy (big) bean pods off a plant & they are still green. The seed pods are toxic! Caesalpinia pulcherrima is most commonly known as Pride of Barbados or Red Bird of Paradise. Clover Seed, Image Credit: Dieter Mai/iStock/Getty Images. Note:  Some websites have indicated the pods and seeds may be poisonous. WHAT? I will try and update post one i get them to germinate. on Seed of the Week: Red Bird of Paradise, Bug of the Week: Pallid-winged Grasshoppers. I now have several healthy plants around east and south sides of our house outside of Houston, Texas. I would go with well-drained soil in a protected, sunny location. Cool! It grows to be a tall shrub during the summer, with lovely orange/red flowers. Also, does anyone have a picture of where the seed pod in relation to the flower or can you describe where I should be finding it. The pods are woody and pointed with large, shiny black seeds inside. http://www.amazon.com/Mexican-Red-Bird-Paradise-Seeds/dp/B000UZD1W4, http://gardening.about.com/od/gettingstarted/qt/Hardening_Off.htm, STEM Friday #Kidlit Brilliant Baby Does Math, #kidlitstem Insect Anatomy Picture Book: How to Build an Insect, Bug of the Week: Helping Pollinators With Flowers, STEM Friday #Kidlit The Nest That Wren Built. If you are looking for a plant with large, show-stopping blooms, look no further than the bird of paradise. The seeds fly out of the pods as soon as they are mature. I was not sure, since other pics I have seen are very small shrub looking. I saw a few today while plowing my wheat ground. How long is going to depend on the temperature you are holding them under, etc. The foliage is distinctly tropical-looking, semi-glossy above, green-grey below with large banana leaf or paddle-like blades. Thank you! This seed grows into a long-lasting 4 foot plant, and the Bird of Paradise flower is similar in appearance to a bird's head. I have never seen one more than about a foot tall. My search was how to grow them from seed , your article did not mention this at all. Grass Seed Where do I purchase some of these seeds? . The dried pods burst open on the plant and shoot the seeds. Oh I hope my seeds are mature as I cannot wait to have these everywhere in our front yard! The ripe seed pods split in half with an audible SNAP and it flings seeds up to 30 feet away. Speaking of erupting, the Mexican Bird of Paradise has a very interesting way of spreading seed! Colors include orange, copper, blue and red. The center bloom stalk is 3 feet long and the multicolored bloom is 6 - 8 inches in length. Propagating Red Bird of Paradise . The bird of paradise seeds have a woolly orange tuft on them. If you have been collecting seeds in the pods, they might not be mature yet. In Phoenix it is sometimes mistakenly called a Mexican bird of paradise, which is a different plant. Bear in mind this is England and not Arizona !! Colors include orange, copper, blue and red. About.com has some general info for hardening off seedlings: http://gardening.about.com/od/gettingstarted/qt/Hardening_Off.htm Good luck. It reaches a height of 6 to 10 feet and a spread of 4 to 6 feet at maturity. The seeds cracked open and sprouted a little root. Advanced features of this website require that you enable JavaScript in your browser. Yes, dwarf poinciana is another common name for this plant. How do I proceed from here? Offering I succeed ed with two of them and our flowered for the first time after 10 years last summer. I just put some lemon tree seedlings out too quickly and they are looking a bit sunburned. The flowers and seed pods are usually less than an inch long. Other common names are Poinciana, Peacock Flower, Mexican Bird of Paradise, Dwarf Poinciana, Pride of Barbados, and flamboyan-de … The floral structure is unusual, with very long stamens. Nick & soak seed. and these interesting ridged seeds. They lose their leaves in the winter here, too. Here's why . The long, brown seed pod containing the bird of paradise seeds will be exposed. The yellow flowers with red stamens look almost tropical. poisonous Yellow Bird of Paradise shrub Caesalpinia is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, FABACEAE. It is not very practical, but preventing the plant from flowering or pruning off the flowers would prevent it from making seeds and pods. Sadly I only got 2 mature pods and the others are just young flat pods, as I didn't know better. #seeds #strelitzia #GardeningHi there, I have some Bird of Paradise seeds and decided to plant them. When planting, soak the hard Strelitzia Reginae flower seeds for 24 - 48 hours and remove the orange tuft of hairs. . I acquired some seed pods from a commercial lawn company's beautiful RBOP and found information on the internet saying to lightly sand the flat sides of the seeds (I used an emery board) to remove some of the hard outer shell and then soak them in water for 6 to 8 hours before planting. If you need to re-pot a plant it might take a couple of years or more for the plant to start blooming again. Amazon has the seeds: http://www.amazon.com/Mexican-Red-Bird-Paradise-Seeds/dp/B000UZD1W4. Once the petals fall, the large seed pod is revealed. Birds of Paradise Plant Care The Bird of Paradise does … Mimosaceae. I wasn't sure how to germinate so i just stuck them into a pot and lightly covered them in soil. Hope your Pulcherima are successful. If you wait too long, the bird of paradise will have expelled the seeds. Your email address will not be published. This seed grows into a long-lasting 4 foot plant, and the Bird of Paradise flower is similar in appearance to a bird's head. If this sounds like the way to go, read on to learn about propagating agapanthus by seed, step by step. The Bird of Paradise plant likes temperatures above 50 degrees F, so in most places it is better to grow it in a pot and keep the plant indoors during the winter and move outside in the summer. Also it has a very nice honey/melon kinda fragrance even the seed pods smell amazing! I have been collecting seed pods from around the valley. Have you ever seen a red bird of paradise? Seeds are shiny, dark brown beans with a white tuft at one end. Many seeds in a pod. Red bird of paradise bushes can get huge, so it just might be the right one. Warranty/Returns I have one that is up to about 2 inches tall, I live in Arizona and of course these plants to ver y well her, I have a question so many sites say use a nail file to rough up the level or straight side of seed, my seeds dont have sides that look any different from the other, I also cooked my soil for the planting of 5 seeds I got ahold of in a park near by they pod was still on bush but very dark brown and popped right open for me, I had little black bugs in my soil and was told to bake to soil at 180 degrees of 1 hour or so, it seemed to work I did not see any flying bugs when I put the soil out to cool, I hope I did it right the planted the seeds about 1 inch down in soil will see what happens, I would like to keep as an indoor plant dont know about that? Hopefully they are close enough to germinate for you. & Supplies Many thanks. I have the seedlings in a bathroom that gets quite a bit of indirect sunlight. The central stalk grows slowly to 3 to 5 feet tall and is topped by the spathe, a hard covering from which the bird of paradise flowers emerge. have flowers that resemble birds' heads. Your email address will not be published. Originally from the tropics of South America and the West Indies, the red bird of paradise is frost sensitive and loses its leaves in the winter. You probably won't see the seeds in the pods once they mature. Move the pot outdoors slowly for brief periods of time each day, and let the Bird of Paradise acclimate or the plant can get sunburned. I have a problem with the seeds. Both plants love the heat, need full sun, and prefer very well-drained soil. Timing will vary with your location. Red bird of paradise plants like a lot of sun and very warm weather. when can I hope for them to sprout after soaking and planting in soil in a peat pot? Aren't common names fun? If the pods are mature, they are likely to split open and shoot out the seeds on their own, but maybe yours are close. Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia Reginae) - These Strelitzia Reginae seeds produce a very unusual yet prized flower. Sounds like you don't have to worry about scarification (roughing up the seed) if you were successful getting one to germinate. I now have seedlings that are about 2 inches high. Bird of paradise seeds sport orange arils like little toupees. Scarify the seeds by giving the coat a light sanding with sand paper or an emery board prior to planting. Ready to get started? Pam. Thanks heaps! It has lacy compound leaves. These shrubs tend to self-sow, so if you see any surrounding seedlings, you can remove or transplant them to other areas of your yard. The Mexican Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana) is a larger shrub with yellow flowers like those shown at http://www.magnoliagardensnursery.com/productdescrip/Caesal_Mex.html. Step 2 Cut the seed pod from the plant with shears once it turns tan or brown, but before the pod begins to split open. Is there a way to keep the pods & seeds off the plants? Sometimes, outdoor bird of paradise plants need to be transplanted to a new location. After flowering, the plant forms pea-like seed pods. I have been planting Red Birds of Paradise seeds, for a month or so. The problem comes because many refer to the C. pulcherrima as the Red Mexican Bird of Paradise. It's much easier to buy a bird of paradise plant or cutting rather than to start the plant from seed, but if you have patience it can be done. I live in the California high desert and I've seen some type of a red bird of paradise but none of them are this colorful. Red bird of paradise plants are very large, and I think it would be impractical to try to keep one indoors. I am in Somerset in England and brought some seeds back from Tombstone a few years ago. The dwarf poinciana ( Caesalpinia pulcherrima ), a showy tree grown throughout the American tropics and subtropics, is sometimes known as the Mexican bird-of-paradise or red bird-of-paradise. Seed pod is a bean pod. Is there a certain kind of soil I should plant my seeds in and how often should I water them? Most places around here sell plants, but you are in luck. When can I expect to see them sprout? These plants go dormant over the winter, but planting the seeds should be okay. The twisted, spiraled pods litter the ground and some stay on the plant. Answered by theficuswrangler on July 10, 2014. Shipping Info The center bloom stalk is 3 feet long and the multicolored bloom is 6 - 8 inches in length. Bird of Paradise flower seeds are slow to germinate, taking up to 8 or more weeks to germinate, and it will take 4 - 7 years for the plant to start blooming. Remember that this will keep the plant from blooming again for several years! Answer: The Mexican bird of paradise plant name is used by homeowners to describe two different but similar plants.They look similar except for the color of the flowers. If they weren't mature, they probably won't ripen. The red bird of paradise is a popular landscape plant in Phoenix. The plant is 8 feet tall and hasn't flowered yet? I have one plant now about 8 foot tall planted in a south facing garden, and the other just transferred from a pot to the garden at about 3 foot tall. I would start moving them outside into a protected area as soon as it starts to warm up. Appearance and characteristics of bird of paradise Older plants will form a large clump, with the central leaves being held very upright while the outer leaves gently bow down. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. They shouldn't be too hard to germinate from seed, as long as the seed was mature enough. Are they getting enough sun? A. Shaded plants sometimes fail to bloom. Plants bloom best when pot-bound. They doubled in size and started sprouting about 2 days later. I went to San Antonio, TX and found some of these growing and grabbed some pods. i just got some seeds from a mature plant and I'm not sure how to plant them. >.< I have grown plenty of plumerias this was and works for me in this climate. Can I put them in something and wait until they pop open or will my seeds be no good since I picked them early. © 2021 Roberta Gibson. Ordering Info When do I move them outdoors and how much sunlight should these tender plants have? i first saw these beautiful flowers in our North West of west Australia in 1968 so brought seeds to Perth & sprouted some grew to about 5ft high on a north facing wall(opposite to USA) side .The Poinciana seeds from a Poinciana Tree (Delonix) are hard to grow here too and go rotten when soaked too long. The flowers are favorites of bees, wasps, hummingbirds and butterflies. Immature pods are green in color. Oh btw, I said bush/tree since it was almost twice my height! With its orange, blue, and white flowers that look like a bird in flight, this plant just cannot be ignored. It has orange-yellow flowers and is a little bushier than Caesalpinia gillesii, which is most commonly known as Yellow Bird of Paradise, because it has all yellow flowers. | I wrapped tthe seed in about 10 napkins and soaked them then put in oven for about 20 minutes or so (I know, unscientific). BIG T. have grown these birds for many years in my planter which faces the west. They both lose their leaves in Winter but are fairly well protected. (Central FL.. 9). Soaked them again in water for a few hours and then used the wet paper towel method again. The red bird of paradise is a popular landscape plant in Phoenix. Look for bird of paradise … Ok so I have been searching i found this plant in my gf backyard while i was helping her move so before i left i grab several seed pods and going to try to grow them.. i can tell u that the center of the bush/tree as thorns. Tips on how to start a red bird of paradise plant from seed pods and which seeds are best to use. The bird of paradise can reach a mature height of 4 to 5 feet, with thick, waxy green leaves and a large, striking, vibrantly-colored flower that looks like a flying bird. It seems a bit early for the plant to be losing leaves. A special thank you to Heather for suggesting this plant. Is it showing any other symptoms? Just a miniature version. Usually finding the mature seeds is the problem, because once the seeds mature, the pods pop open and shoot them out. Harvesting Seeds of Agapanthus Although you can purchase agapanthus seeds and you’ll know exactly what color to expect, it’s easy to harvest seeds of agapanthus when the pods turn from green to pale brown in late summer or autumn. Yellow bird of paradise is usually deciduous except in the warmest areas, but seldom looks its best during the winter. About Us, Copyright © 2000-2021 Outsidepride Seed Source, LLC, Beneficial Insectary Wild Flower Seed Mix. The lady of the business where I asked if I could get some pods showed me how to cut them back in the freeze and they sprouted up huge in the warm weather. I live in the high desert Ca and the nurseries don't carry them but I have seen about 3 gorgeous plants doing well in the neighboring towns. Our fascinating seeds in a pod from last week's mystery were from a red bird of paradise, also called pride-of-Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima). grows like a weed in the summer time after flowering i cut them back a lots then we had some more really hot hot 90* for 3 days and then they grew some more and blooms again wow i just found a article in a paper that this same plant was called a dwarf poinciana? I tried a few by soaking 8 hours and another few for only two hours and had equal results. Thanks for the help!! However, if the roots are coming out of the pot, it is probably time to consider repotting or division. Just a little bit filed down to the white area. Any time Deno/Propagator (1-16 days) Acacia erioloba. All rights reserved. ..every year we learn something new about the seeds or plants! theyre pretty amazing . The fruit of these Bird of Paradise desert bushes is a long, flat seed pod. About 8' tall and a show stopper! all the leaves fell off my Red Bird Of Paradise, it came up but then the little tiny leaves starting falling off, should I keep it indoors where I have had it by a window and see what happens or what and do you know how long after planting a seed does it take to come up, I wonder why my little red birds of paradise seed came up but then started loosing all the leaves, should I just leave it alone, I have planted more that I found cant remember how long does it take for them to come up from the dirt, I do have sand cover due to little gnats. I just got some pods off the most spectacular red bird of Paradise plant. Not to be confused with the South African native bird of paradise, Mexican bird of paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana) becomes a small, loosely open-branched tree that bears fragrant yellow flowers in summer and fall. Hold the bird of paradise seed pod over a paper plate. Can you help me with something please!! I was able to soak for a week in water. Herb Seeds, I'd like to get some more seeds and try it again. Using bean pods to grow your bird of paradise plants is uncomplicated and well worth the effort.. Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Red Bird of Paradise, is a species of flowering plant in the Fabaceae, pea family.. common desert bush with orange and red flowers. Bird of paradise plants do not like to be moved once established. If you'd like to start some plants from seed, collect the pods in the fall, remove the seeds, and let them dry inside a paper bag. It grows to be a tall shrub during the summer, with lovely orange/red flowers. Camel Thorn: Seed pod is a curved velvety bean pod. And this South African native will grow happily year-round throughout warmer parts of the US. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Once pollinated, the plant produces seed pods. Sales Tax My girlfriend and i have been collecting beansseeds in the valley for close to 10yrs now. The spring to summer bloom is followed by 4 to 5 inch seed pods. The Poinciana Tree is a beauty. i live in new mexico so its plenty warm and sunny Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae), also called the crane flower, is part of the banana family and native to South Africa. Positive: On Aug 5, 2008, UniversalGarden from Las Vegas, NV wrote: This plant, the Desert Bird of Paradise is a gem of a plant. I have a seed pod and would like to try growing it on my own but have no experience at this type of plant or in getting seeds to germinate. Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) is a striking plant with large leaves and blooms that look like exotic, tropical birds. The plants are thought to be pollinated by butterflies. I am going to soak them in water over night and plant them in starter containers and see what happens. Originally from the tropics of South America and the West Indies, the red bird of paradise is frost sensitive and loses its leaves in the winter. Nick & soak seed. Several seeds in a pod. Stayed hard and the same size after soaking and after five days in the wet paper towel. Flower Seeds, If anybody has any thing they think could help me out, lets hear it. spill the beans ........ so to speak! Other options might be replacing the plants with ones that aren't as likely to cause problems. Plant the flower seeds an inch deep in moist potting soil. The seeds do usually shoot out of the pods when they are ready. Seems like I have to water them a lot though. The stamens are the male parts of the flower that produce pollen. Direct Order Line: (800) 670-4192, Privacy Statement This grass plant produces flat, green seed pods scalloped in pink. Birds of Paradise are also propagated from seed. is it ok to plant them this time of year? . Many people cut the plant nearly to the ground in the winter, but it grows back readily when the weather gets warm again. Inside each hole of the seedpod is a hard, round seed that falls out as the pod dries up Ribbed fringepod (Thysanocarpus radians) is another plant that has pretty seeds. The desert bird-of-paradise, or bird-of-paradise bush (Erythrostemon gilliesii), is an unrelated shrub of the pea family native to South America and naturalized elsewhere. The seeds have cyanid in them. My golden retriever likes to eat plants & flowers. They will lose their leaves and go dormant in the winter. As the Birds of Paradise mature (and have bloomed for a year or two), they can be carefully divided. As the pods mature and dry, the two sides begin to twist, but in directions opposite one another; each side holds the other in check. Bird of paradise seeds take up to a year to germinate, and young plants may not flower for seven years. You can tell they are ready to pick then the pods are tan colored with dark brown stems. If anyone has a better idea please let me know. Seeds are large, shiny, dark brown beans. The east side plant has grown faster and has produced a goodly amount of seed this year and am soaking some for planting with my 11 yer old grandson as I type.