Where To Place Bird Of Paradise Indoors?

If you are among the ones who enjoy a bit of tropical flair, the Bird of paradise is the plant you must grow. These plants grow to a huge height and even flowers if it gets ample sunlight. However, if you want to know where to place this beauty indoors, you are at the right place.

Bird of paradise needs a lot of space to grow and spread its foliage. Find a spot with plenty of sunlight and ventilation. Humidity is a vital requirement, so add humidifiers and pebble trays to increase the humidity. Please keep it away from furnaces or vents to prevent drooping and wilting.

In this article, I will discuss in detail all the points you need to keep in mind for choosing an ideal spot to place your Bird of Paradise plant at your home. 

Factors to consider while selecting the ideal spot for your Bird of paradise

There are 3 vital requirements of Bird of paradise plants that you must keep in mind while selecting a spot.

These may vary in every corner of the house, so you need to find a spot where it gets the best of the below-mentioned factors. 

1. Light

Light is the most important factor to consider for keeping plants at home.

Unlike outdoors, most homes nowadays have limited sources of natural light, so it is utmost that you choose a place with maximum light indoors to keep plants because the light is the primary requirement for plants to continue their survival activities.

Bird of paradise is a hardy plant that can tolerate a large spectrum of lights, but if you put it in a low-light area, it can harm the plant’s growth.

Since it is a tropical plant, light plays a tremendously important role in this plant’s life.

These plants enjoy the full sun as tropical plants but can also grow well in bright partial sunlight.

However, they do not do so well in low light.

Though they can tolerate indirect sunlight, their best growth and flowers are produced only when the plant gets ample full sunlight.

So the spot you choose for this plant should get at least 6-8 hours of full or partial sunlight.

They love huge western, eastern, and southern spots with consistent light all day long, as these areas receive the most sunlight.

However, if there are blocks outside that hinder the sunlight from coming in, then you need to choose the spot accordingly.

Also, remember you need to use artificial lights if your home lacks sunlight. 

2. Temperature

Another important factor to consider in keeping plants indoors is the temperature range.

Due to their tropical habitat, these plants enjoy warm temperatures and do not like extreme cold weather.

The ideal temperature for Bird of paradise plants is between 65-80°F.

You can measure the temperature in your house with the help of a thermometer or hygrometer to know whether it suits the plant’s needs. 

The Bird of paradise does not tolerate freezing temperatures.

Researchers have found that if you live in areas where temperature can go below 24°F, it will be difficult to save this plant from dying.

Here are some quick tips that would help the plant to grow comfortably: 

• Do not place the plant near glass panes where the leaves get rubbed against the window panes.
• Keep 6 them away from heating sources like heaters and fireplaces or cooling sources like air conditioners. 
• It should be protected if your plant is kept at a place directly exposed to cold or hot winds. 

3. Humidity

Humidity is the next most important thing to consider while placing this moisture-loving plant.

Bird of paradise requires high humidity levels, and you must resort to techniques to increase the humidity levels.

If you have dry air in your home, use a hygrometer to measure the humidity level.

If you find it low for your plant, then you must use ways to increase it.

If the humidity is low, your Bird of paradise will not flourish and may show signs like wilting, split leaves, slow growth, and soon.

The following tips can be considered to increase humidity levels around your Bird of paradise.

• Pebble tray: Fill up a tray with water and a layer of pebbles and place the pot on top of the pebbles. As the water evaporates, the humidity levels will increase. 
• Humidifiers: Humidifiers are tiny devices filled with fresh distilled water and kept near the plant. You can manually set a level of humidity that is required. The humidifier will give out water vapor at the set level and keep the humidity levels around the plant. 
• Misting: Misting has both benefits and problems attached. You can mist your Bird of paradise in the early morning and let the water dry up. Keeping the leaves dry for longer hours can attract bugs and fungi. However, misting alone does not help to increase the humidity for long as the water gets evaporates quickly.
• Grouping: Grouping humidity-loving plants together is another effective way to increase humidity. However, before doing this, ensure none of the plants have fungus or bugs on them, as grouping them helps the bugs spread quickly. 
• Placing an aquarium near the plant also helps to increase humidity. The wastewater of the aquarium also acts as a fantastic fertilizer for your plants as it is rich in fish poop with nitrogen in it. 

Now we will quickly talk about the spots you should not keep the plant as they suck up moisture from the plant.

• Opposite to an air conditioner: AC machines make the environment very dry by sucking up the humidity from the rooms, which reduces moisture for the plants too. You must keep this plant away from the direct air of the air conditioners. 
• Under the ceiling fans-ceiling: Fans also tend to dry the atmosphere, which dries out the plant more. 
• Doors and windows that are opened and closed frequently: These areas have fluctuations in humidity levels, so it is best not to keep the plant in these places

Bird of paradise placement guide

Certain spots can be ideal for your Bird of paradise, and there are spots where the plant should not be kept.

Let us quickly discuss them. 

1. Near a window

The best spot to keep your Bird of paradise is near a huge full-length sunny window with plenty of unhindered sunlight.

But you also need to ensure that the plant should get some protection from scorching sunlight if you live in a very hot place.

East-facing and south-facing windows are highly recommended, and if you keep the plant in a west-facing window, make sure it is protected from hot sunlight.

You can put up a sheer curtain and move the plant a few feet away from the window if the heat is too intense.

During winters, make sure the leaves do not get exposed to the gold windowpanes.

2. Avoid fireplaces or vents, or heaters

Being native to tropical areas, Bird of paradise loves humidity and warmth.

Many plant owners do the mistake of keeping their plants close to fireplaces and heaters in the cold season to keep them warm.

This is very bad for them as it tends to dehydrate them by sucking the moisture out of them. 

This can lead to dehydration, and the leaves might burn if the heat is too strong.

You can keep their plant in the same room as heaters if your region has harsh winters but make sure you keep them a few feet away from the heating sources.  

3. Keep away from children

Children play with plants often, but these plants contain toxic chemicals like tannins which can cause various problems like skin irritation, redness, vomiting, diarrhea, and so on.

So, keep it away from the kids, as they are more sensitive than adults.

Even when you work with the [plant, it is recommended that you wear gloves t protect your skin. 

4. Keep away from pets

Pets tend to play around with plants and sometimes nibble them.

These exotic-looking plants are toxic to pets as the seeds of the flowers contain tannins, and the leaves contain hydrocyanic acid that could be fatal if ingested.

They can cause dizziness, vomiting, and irritation.

5. Bedroom

With their aesthetic appeal, bids of paradise are a higher showstopper in bedrooms.

If you want to keep them in your bedroom, ensure that the room gets ample light, ventilation, and humidity.

If the room does not have sufficient light or air circulation, it would not be right to move the plant from there or use artificial grow light.

Do not keep it in a low-light bedroom, as that can harm it. 

6. Bathroom

Many people like to keep humidity-loving plants in bathrooms because these places are humid.

If you intend to do the same, remember to ensure your bathroom gets sufficient light and ventilation.

Poor light or air flow can lead to fungus and bacterial attacks on your plants. 

Tips for a healthy Bird of paradise plant

Besides finding the ideal place to keep your Bird of paradise, you must also know how to care for it wholesomely.

• Choose a location for your Bird of Paradise with plenty of natural sunlight and a lot of space for the plant to spread instead of cramming it in a corner.
• Remember, if you keep the plant in medium sunlight, it might survive but not flourish. It must get a lot of direct bright light to grow vigorously.
• If the sunlight is too strong, move the plant a few feet away from the light, but bright light should be ensured to keep this plant happy.
• Check the area’s humidity levels, especially in a dry region with low humidity.
• Installing humidifiers is the most consistent and reliable source ton increased humidity. If you cannot do it, pebble trays, misting grouping, and other ways must be used to give the required humidity to this plant.
• If you live in areas with harsh colds, you must protect your plant from it in every way. Do not expose the plant to frost and harsh winds. 
• Ensure to maintain the right watering schedule. Both overwatering and underwatering prove to be hazardous to the plant, so keep a check. 
• If you are unsure when to water, get a moisture meter to check the moisture quantity of the soil.
• Feed the plant with an all-purpose fertilizer in the growing season only. 

Final words 

Bird of paradise is a stunning tropical plant that will reward you with exotic foliage and beautiful flowers if you care for it correctly. Finding the correct place for your Bird of paradise is an important part of its care.

Find a spot where your Bird of paradise will get ample sunlight with the ideal temperatures and humidity. Avoid placing the plant in dry spots, and use a humidifier to provide enough humidity.

If your house doesn’t get enough natural light, use artificial light to provide enough light to the plant. Make sure you keep an eye on the plant so you can notice any issues.

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Reference: Wikipedia.