Bird of paradise Corms (Not Native)

Bird of Paradise Corms ($10 for one large clump of at least 5 connected corms)

FS, Annual, Blooms July-Frost, 5-8’ tall

Tom and Nancy collected 5 seeds from one of Costa Rica’s 30 varities of heliconias (Birds of Paradise) to plant in the spring, and they all germinated. That was six years ago. Now Detroit Abloom has a stock of over 300 large-sized plants that are planted in clusters around their “Wellness Garden.” Each year the stunning plants grow to around 7-8 feet tall and produce attractive red flowers that are magnets for hummingbirds and some butterfly species.

At the end of the season the plants are prunced down to the ground and the corms are lifted from the ground and overwintered in a cool basement. Amazingly, every corm has surived the past four winters. Not one has been lost. Evidently, it takes around 3-4 years for the plant to produce the mature bird of paradise blossom. And each year, the corms increase slightly in size and dramatically in number.

They are very hardy, love full sun, and prefer a somewhat moist well-drained medium. They can be planted in clusters or used to make a very attractive backdrop in the garden. Related to cannas.

The forth photo was taken at DA, October 2022, thanks to a friend with an awesome camera!