How to Transplant Bird of Paradise Plants

Overview

Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) plants produce exotic flowers in orange and purple resembling a tropical bird. You can grow this plant outdoors in areas that receive light, occasional frosts or keep it in a large pot that you move indoors in the winter. Birds of Paradise form large clumps within a few years of being planted, and can overtake a garden area. If you want to divide some of your plants and transplant them, it might take several years before they bloom again. But if you dig up the entire clump and transplant it, you can expect it to produce flowers much faster.

Transplanting Bird of Paradise Plants

Step 1

Water your plant(s) well the day before you plan to dig them up or divide them. Late spring is the best time to divide and transplant Birds of Paradise.

Step 2

Cut off all dead leaves and then dig around the outside of the plant's base with a large shovel or spading fork. Continue loosening the soil until you reach the bottom of the root mass.

Step 3

Pull up the clump that you have freed from the soil and move it to the location where you want to plant it.

Step 4

Divide the clump by cutting it apart with a sharp knife. Leave two to three plants together in a smaller clump if there are multiple plants in the large clump.

Step 5

Dig a hole twice the size of the new clump's root system and then mix equal amounts of compost with the soil you dug out.

Step 6

Plant your divided clump into the hole, fill in with the soil-compost mixture and pat it down all around the plant's base. Water well and keep the soil moist until the plant shows signs of new growth, usually about three months after transplanting.