Bird Of Paradise is a perennial grown for its orange blooms, which open in summer and return year after year. It's hardy across USDA zones 10 through 12, shrugs off deer and grows just as well in a container as in the ground. Its summer flowers are a moderate draw for hummingbirds.
Bird Of Paradise — the short answer
Bird Of Paradise: grown in zones 10–12, full sun, pH 6–7.5.
- USDA zones
- 10–12
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- Soil pH
- 6–7.5
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Frost-kill temperature
- 25°F
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
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What Bird Of Paradise is
Bird Of Paradise grows as a perennial and reaches around five feet at maturity. It blooms orange in summer. It's also deer-resistant and well suited to containers.
How to grow Bird Of Paradise
Bird Of Paradise grows in USDA zones 10 through 12. Bird Of Paradise does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 6 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs a growing season of at least 180 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
10-12
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
6 - 7.5
Growable Ground Plant Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost Kill Temperature
25°F
Where cold starts killing growing tissue. Not a winter-survival floor — a dormant perennial takes far colder, which its hardiness zone answers.
Growable Ground Plant Database
Mature Height
5 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
180+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant bird of paradise in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Bird Of Paradise prefers pH 6 to 7.5 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut bird of paradise blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Where Bird Of Paradise thrives
Bird Of Paradise is hardy across USDA zones 10 through 12. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 10–12 spans average winter lows from 30°F to 60°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers none outright but splits 8 down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 10–12·Where Bird Of Paradise growsOpen map →
Where Bird Of Paradise stands, state by state
Bird Of Paradise is rated for zones 10–12 — a cold floor USDA puts at 30 to 40°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 0 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 8 more, and 43 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
The line runs through
8 states
- California · zones 4b-11a
- Nevada · zones 4a-10a
- Arizona · zones 5b-10b
3 of 8 shown
Bird Of Paradise’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Bird Of Paradise
Growing guides for bird of paradise
In rotation planning, bird of paradise counts as a Other — beds recover best when other crops don’t follow each other in the same spot year over year. (Growable Ground derivation — crop-rotation group from botanical family)
Related plants in perennial flower
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — bird of paradise is toxic to dogs and cats (mild severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Bird Of Paradise offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators.
Your land is one point inside Bird Of Paradise's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Bird Of Paradise will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether bird of paradise actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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How we know this about Bird Of Paradise
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•USDA PHZM•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Bird Of Paradise in my zone?
Bird Of Paradise grows in USDA hardiness zones 10 through 12 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Bird Of Paradise?
Most growers plant bird of paradise after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 180-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Bird Of Paradise need?
Bird Of Paradise needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Bird Of Paradise need?
Bird Of Paradise prefers soil pH 6 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Bird Of Paradise attract pollinators?
Yes — bird of paradise's flowers are a solid nectar source for hummingbirds.
Is Bird Of Paradise safe for pets?
Bird Of Paradise is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with mild severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)