
In the landscape
Border · Specimen · Coastal · Container · Houseplant · Patio · Cottage
Data sources
White Bird of Paradise
Strelitzia nicolai · Perennial
White Bird of Paradise is a moderate-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 and grows happily in containers.
- USDA zones
- 10-11
- Sun
- Part shade
- Water
- Low
- Mature size
- 20–30 ft
- Spacing
- 6–12 ft
- 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
- Can irritate skin on contact
- Toxic to
- People, Children, Dogs, Cats, Horses
- Native to
- East Zimbabwe to KwaZulu-Natal, East Botswana
Will it survive your winters?
We score White Bird of Paradise’s freeze-trouble range against the real coldest nights your area has recorded.
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.
See the White Bird of Paradise in your own yard
Upload a photo and our AI designs with real plants like this one — matched to your USDA zone.
More perennials
Banana Plant
Musa acuminata
Zones 10–11Full sun
Lobster Claw Heliconia
Heliconia rostrata
Zones 10–11Part shade
Red Ginger
Alpinia purpurata
Zones 10–11Part shade
Giant Elephant Ear
Alocasia macrorrhiza
Zones 10–12Part shade
Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass
Calamagrostis x acutiflora
Zones 4–11Full sun
Big Blue Liriope
Liriope muscari
Zones 5–10Full sun