Red bird of paradise is a large exotic-looking shrub with dramatic, vibrant flowers that have a tropical feel, but thrives in the desert. Here’s everything you need to know about planting and taking care of this West Indies native.
If you’ve got a bare spot in your garden that is simply begging for a large fuss-free plant to fill the space and provide some color, red bird of paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) may be the plant for you.
Red bird of paradise is a large shrub with fern-like leaves and stalks of brilliant yellow, orange, and red flowers from spring through fall.
It flowers just before the monsoon kicks in, giving a splash of color just when many plants have given up on producing flowers.
This shrub is a native of the West Indies but is equally as happy in the desert as it is in the tropics. They are so tough that it’s not uncommon to see them growing in median strips and parking lots.
This plant is so adaptable that it has now naturalized all around the world. In the US, it can be found growing wild in parts of Arizona, California, Texas, and Florida.
Red bird of paradise is a low-maintenance shrub. It needs minimal supplemental water and a yearly prune.
When in bloom, its flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other nectar-seeking insects. Birds are attracted to the seeds. It is resistant to javelina, deer, and rabbits.
Why I Like This Plant
- Colorful, dramatic, exotic-looking shrub
- Vibrant multi-color flowers spring through fall
- Flowers attract butterflies, hummingbirds, bees
- Low maintenance, low water
- Can thrive in the hottest spot of any garden
Things to Watch Out For
- All parts of red bird of paradise are toxic. The leaves contain hydrogen cyanide, and the seed pods contain high levels of tannins. The ASPCA lists it as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.
- At first glance, the stems look innocuous but are covered with small thorns that can be quite irritating.
Optimal Growing Conditions
If you’re thinking of adding a red bird of paradise to your garden, you need to find a suitable place that will keep your plant healthy and looking good… while minimizing maintenance for you.
Here are the key factors to keep in mind.
Temperature
Red bird of paradise should be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 – 11. It has a very high heat tolerance and can be grown in the hottest spots in any yard, even in Phoenix.
It is cold hardy down to 15℉ but can experience some cosmetic damage to leaves at around 25℉. It stays evergreen when there are no freezes. It’s normal for it to lose its leaves once the temperature dips below freezing.
But no worries if it gets zapped by cold, give it a hard prune in the spring and it will rapidly rebound.
Sun Exposure
Red bird of paradise thrives in full sun and doesn’t mind the reflected heat from a west-facing wall. While it can be grown in part shade, it can get leggy and will produce fewer flowers.
Size and Growth Rate
Red bird of paradise is a fast-growing shrub. They generally reach a size of 6 feet tall by 6 feet wide in areas where they freeze back. When grown in the tropics, they can reach 20 feet tall!
Soil
Red bird of paradise is not fussy about soil and grows well in any soil — sandy, rocky, clay — and even the poorest desert soil, provided it’s well-draining.
Other Location Considerations
Don’t plant red bird of paradise near a pool or in an area where children or pets might be able to access the pods or seeds. Stems are covered with prickers that can be annoying. But more concerning is that after the flowers die, toxic seed pods dangle in the wind, and split open, releasing their seeds explosively.
Red Bird of Paradise:
The Essentials
| Common Name | Red bird of paradise |
| Scientific Name | Caesalpinia pulcherrima |
| Origin | West Indies, Mexico |
| Plant Type | Semi-evergreen shrub |
| USDA Zones | Zones 9 – 11 |
| Cold Hardiness | To 15℉ |
| Flower Color | Yellow, red, orange |
| Flower Season | Spring, summer, fall |
| Mature Size | 6-10’ high x 6-10’ wide |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Sun Tolerance | Full, part, reflected sun |
| Water Needs | Low |
| Pests & Diseases | None |
| Toxicity | Prickly stems, all parts toxic |
| Wildlife | Attracts butterflies, bees, hummingbirds Deer, rabbit, javelina resistant |
How to Plant
The rule of thumb when planting any shrub or tree in the desert is to dig a hole three times as wide as the root ball but no deeper. Amending the soil is not recommended. Counterintuitively, backfilling with the same native soil you just dug up helps your plant develop a stronger root system.
When to Plant
The best time to plant red bird of paradise is in the fall. This gives your shrub three seasons to grow roots and get established before the following summer.
The second best time is in spring, the earlier the better. This still gives your plant time to get established before the intense heat of June arrives.
How to Care for Red Bird of Paradise
Whether you’ve recently planted a red BOP or have an existing plant in your yard, here’s how to take care of it to keep it healthy and looking its best.
How to Water New Plants
Once you’ve got your bird of paradise in the ground, watering is your most immediate concern. Here is the recommended watering schedule for new shrubs planted in the spring or fall.
| Weeks 1 & 2 | Every 3 – 4 days |
| Weeks 3 & 4 | Every 6 – 7 days |
| Weeks 5 & 6 | Every 7 – 10 days |
| Weeks 7 & 8 | Every 10 – 14 days |
After week 8, gradually extend the time between waterings.
How to Water Established Plants
As your shrub gets established, there are two watering factors to consider.
- First is how often to water. This will vary with the seasons.
- Second is how much water to give your shrub with each watering. This depends on the current size of your plant.
To determine the ideal watering schedule for any desert shrub you’ll find everything you need to know, including easy-to-use charts, at How to Water Desert Shrubs: How Often? How Much?
Note that red bird of paradise largely goes dormant during the winter and no supplemental water is required.
Should You Fertilize?
While you can fertilize red bird of paradise, you certainly don’t have to. They get all the nutrients they need from desert soil.
And since they are a member of the legume family (Fabaceae) they fix nitrogen which naturally improves their surrounding soil.
How to Prune
Established red bird of paradise benefits from an annual hard prune down to 12” to manage its size, get rid of dead stems, keep it vigorous, and promote blooming. Prune young plants back to about half their size.
This can be done anytime in the winter to early spring, i.e., after it’s done blooming but before new spring growth appears.
If it starts looking straggly, you can also prune it lightly in August to encourage more flowers in the fall.
Don’t Confuse Red Bird of Paradise With…
There is a lot of confusion between the various bird of paradise species used as landscape plants. This is, in part, because they all have many common names which sometimes overlap.
Unfortunately, several species are referred to as simply “bird of paradise” which leads to further confusion.
Additionally, I’ve been dismayed to see that many gardening sites and search engine results have the bird of paradise species all mixed up.
You can learn how to identify them and tell them apart in our article Desert Bird of Paradise Plants Compared.
Plant Lover Facts
Here in the desert, the default name for this plant is simply bird of paradise and if you mention this name, it will usually be assumed you mean the red species.
However, elsewhere it goes by many other names including peacock flower, dwarf poinciana, Mexican bird of paradise, and pride of Barbados.
Fun Fact!
Red bird of paradise is the National Flower of
Barbados, where it’s called the “Pride of Barbados”
and appears on the country’s coat of arms.
The flowers are popular in Hawaii for making leis.
Red bird of paradise is widely believed to have originated in the West Indies or Mexico.
Traditionally, it had numerous medicinal uses. It was used internally to treat fever, coughs, intestinal worms, and other digestive complaints. It was applied externally to soothe rashes and insect bites.
Did you enjoy this article?
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
where you’ll find more great info on creating &
maintaining a beautiful, carefree desert landscape.
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 15 years.
