There are so many popular desert landscape plants that go by the common name “bird of paradise” — it can be confusing! Learn the difference between the various birds of paradise, once and for all. Knowing the correct name can be important, since they don’t all have the same attributes or need the same care.
When I first moved to Tucson, I was enthralled to see huge shrubs with brilliant flower stalks covered with yellow, orange, and bright red flowers growing everywhere, even in the most inhospitable places like median strips and my new back yard. 😉
I was surprised to learn that they were called “bird of paradise”. At that time, I was only familiar with the tropical bird of paradise that’s sometimes used in floral arrangements.
Since then, I’ve learned that those were what’s usually called red bird of paradise, and that there are several other popular desert plants called “bird of paradise.”
I’ve also found that there’s a lot of confusion between the various bird of paradise species, in part, because of their names. Each goes by more than one common name and the scientific names have undergone changes as well.
Additionally, I’ve been dismayed to see that many gardening sites and search engine results have the bird of paradise species all mixed up, including identifying plant images incorrectly. I’ve even seen them mislabeled at local nurseries that should know better. No wonder there’s confusion!
But by the time you’ve finished this article, I guarantee you’ll be able to tell them apart.
Bird of Paradise Plants Compared
Let’s take a quick look at the bird of paradise species that are commonly used as landscape plants in desert southwest yards. Then we’ll discuss their similarities and differences.
And since bird of paradise is a mouthful to read (and write), I’ll sometimes refer to them as BOPs. 😉
Red Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)
Red bird of paradise is by far the most commonly grown BOP here in Tucson. It grows as a large, semi-evergreen shrub. Its showy, multicolored flowers are so bright they almost glow.
Yellow Bird of Paradise (Erythrostemon gilliesii, formerly Caesalpinia gilliesii)
Yellow bird of paradise is also a large, semi-evergreen shrub. Its flowers are yellow and have obvious bright red stamens streaming from their centers. Unlike the red BOP, the yellow BOP can be pruned to grow like a small tree. (I do not recommend planting yellow BOP since it’s potentially invasive.)
Mexican Bird of Paradise (Erythrostemon mexicanus, formerly Caesalpinia mexicana)
Like yellow bird of paradise, Mexican BOP also has yellow flowers, but no red stamens. It’s almost always grown as a small, multi-trunk tree. However, when given the right care, they can get pretty big, as the picture below attests.
Phoenix Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima ‘Phoenix’)
I saved this for last since they are not terribly common.
Phoenix bird of paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima ‘Phoenix’) is a cultivar of red bird of paradise that looks identical to the red version… except it has yellow flowers. (Yep, there are three BOPs with yellow flowers.)
When in bloom, it differs from yellow BOP in two ways. Its flowers are somewhat golden (rather than lemon yellow) and don’t have the distinctive red stamens. And, like red BOP, it grows as a large shrub and does not have the potential to be turned into a tree.
How the Birds of Paradise Are the Same
All of the BOPs above have a lot in common. They prefer similar growing conditions and need the same basic care. Here are the many ways these plants are alike:
- low-water use
- can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 – 11
- cold hardy to the teens
- take full sun and reflected heat
- bloom spring through fall
- no pests or diseases
- all parts are toxic to people and pets
- attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, & bees
- resistant to deer, javelina, & rabbits
To learn more about these BOP species,
check out our comprehensive “Plant Profiles”:
Red Bird of Paradise
Yellow Bird of Paradise
Mexican Bird of Paradise
How the Birds of Paradise Differ
There are also some key differences between these plants. Here are a few notable ways each BOP is unique. If you grow any of these in your yard, note that they all have very different pruning requirements.
Red bird of paradise is a West Indies native that thrives in the desert as well as in the tropics. It’s the National Flower of Barbados where it’s called the “Pride of Barbados.” This plant is so adaptable, it has naturalized all around the world.
Red BOP should be hard-puned down to 12″ in the early spring. That removes dead wood and invigorates plants for more blooms. Handle with care. It is the only BOP that has stems covered with annoying prickers.
Yellow bird of paradise is a native of the South American desert. Like the red bird of paradise, it has also naturalized around the world and has escaped cultivation in several southwestern states. The University of Arizona considers this species invasive.
Yellow BOP is naturally sparse, and unlike red BOP, should NOT be hard pruned.
Mexican bird of paradise originates in Mexico and Texas, making it the only southwest native. It stays evergreen and is somewhat more cold tolerant, with its range extending into zone 8. It grows taller and is the only BOP that naturally grows as a multi-trunked tree.
To keep Mexican BOP’s tree-like form, you can prune new shoots at the base and shape them in early spring. Like yellow BOP, it should NOT be hard pruned.
Birds of Paradise Compared
Here’s a comparison chart that summarizes the differences between these three species.
| Red BOP | Yellow BOP | Mexican BOP |
| Shrub | Shrub | Small tree |
| Semi-evergreen | Semi-evergreen | Evergreen |
| 6-10’ high | 10’ high | 10-15’ high |
| West Indies | South America | Texas, Mexico |
| Naturalized in US SW | Potentially invasive in US SW | Native to US SW |
| Multi-color flowers | Yellow, red stamens | Yellow flowers |
| Hard prune | Don’t hard prune | Prune shoots |
| Prickly stems | No thorns | No thorns |
Tropical Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)
I’ll finish up by mentioning the tropical bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae). It has exotic, orange, blue, and white flowers that look like a bird and large, distinctly tropical looking foliage. It is botanically unrelated to the other BOPs, the only thing it has in common is the name.
A Multitude of BOP Names
If you’ve gotten this far and are a botany geek, or simply want to understand how the naming of this group of plants got so muddled, let’s look at the multitude of common names and scientific name changes.
Red bird of paradise is the most commonly grown BOP in the desert southwest, and if someone calls a plant a “bird of paradise,” you can assume they mean this species. It goes by a handful of other names including peacock flower, dwarf poinciana, Mexican bird of paradise, and pride of Barbados.
Yellow bird of paradise goes by numerous other common names including bird of paradise, bird of paradise bush, bird of paradise shrub, desert bird of paradise, Mexican bird of paradise, and paradise poinciana.
Additionally, the yellow bird of paradise has undergone many scientific name changes. The correct name is now Erythrostemon gilliesii but the former name Caesalpinia gilliesii is persistent and still commonly cited.
Mexican bird of paradise goes by a multitude of common names including Mexican holdback, Mexican caesalpinia, yellow bird of paradise, yellow bird, Mexican caesalpinia, and Mexican poinciana.
Mexican bird of paradise has also undergone many scientific name changes. The correct name is now Erythrostemon mexicanus, but the former name Caesalpinia mexicana is still commonly used.
All this bird of paradise confusion demonstrates why knowing the scientific name to properly identify a plant can be important. Otherwise, you might come home with the wrong plant when plant shopping or get the wrong care instructions for your plant.
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Author Bio
Deane Alban is the creator of Southwest Gardener. She is a science writer with a bachelor’s degree in botany from the University of South Florida. Gardening is her lifelong passion. She’s been gardening in Tucson for over 15 years.
