FoliageWhite Bird of Paradise
Strelitzia nicolai
White Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia nicolai) is a medium-growing perennial, hardy in USDA zones 10-11, that matures to about 20-30 ft. It does best in part shade with low water needs in well-drained, moist and occasionally-dry soil. Expect black, blue and purple blooms in spring. It attracts frogs and songbirds, stands up well to drought and salt, grows happily in containers.
- USDA zones
- 10-11
- Sun
- Part shade
- Water
- Low
- Mature size
- 20-30 ft
- Spacing
- 6-feet-12 feet
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally-dry
- Foliage
- Silver, Green
- Bloom color
- Black, Blue, Purple, White
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Attracts
- Frogs, Songbirds
- Tough against
- Drought, Salt
- Watch out for
- Contact dermatitis, Poisonous to humans, Problem for cats, Problem for children, Problem for dogs, Problem for horses
- Native to
- East Zimbabwe to KwaZulu-Natal, East Botswana
In the landscape
Data sources
Freeze survival
Will it survive your winters?
Hardiness zones show a normal bad winter. We check the worst one — White Bird of Paradise is hardy to about 30°F (estimated from USDA zone 10), so we'll score it against the real coldest nights your area has actually had.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
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