Don't know what else you can do ... here they overwinter well ... but still die back quite a bit but most of the time not to the ground ... by all means reduce water in the colder months .. mulch is good to keep things warm but they can tolerate a leaner soil... perhaps a pourous black fabric on the soil surface to warm things up ?? Trim it in the spring when it is starting to grow would be better you may be removing viable branches.

Welcome oldrceed! Don't water during winter and make sure its in your hottest microclimate. What is your experience with the Mexican version? does it lose leaves during winter? I want to try one - saw one in east El Paso this spring that was quite large.

I've seen these growing unkempt as far north as Austin...do you think I could keep 'em alive in Fort Worth? Overwinter in the garage? (I'm on the line between 7b and 8a.)

I've successfully overwintered mine by growing it in a large container and hauling it into the garage for the winter.

Cynthia

Hi,

I was reading that you have grown the Red Mexican Bird of Paradise and wandered if you could help me out.
I just got some seeds and I was wandering if to plant it in a dry or a wet medium and how long does it take to germinate?

Thanks

Juan Perez

Sorry but do not have first hand experience growing the plants from
seed .. although I would suspect the plants will need a moist
material for germination and until they get a larger root system.
The materials I buy from the nurseries are always heavy on the
organic side and kept moist. Later on as the plants get established
in their new soil they can withstand and prefer a bit of drought in
summer and good drainage full sun.

Here are some tips I was able to dig up from my library :

Presoak the seeds in warm water several hours before seeding ..
Pot as soon as the first true leaf forms ..
Get outside ASAP if there is no frost .. ( "Hortus Third" )

I hope some of that helps .. I work more with mature plants and not
in propagation.

Good Day ...

Juan - soak the seeds in water overnight and then plant. Don't keep the soil terribly moist at first or the seed will rot.

I know generic Mex. Birds of paradise (yellow petals - vibrant red stamens,Caesalpinia gilliesii) grow well here in Albuquerque (7a-b). I never cut mine back in the winter and never water from Oct/Nov-late Feb/early March and it always comes back. I have it growing in near full-sun all day long - used to have a phormium tenax in that location, but it got stolen.

I also have seedlings that I started - planted the seeds directly in the ground in the fall. Now they're 2-3 years old, still small, but surviving. My "main" plant (5-6ft tall, 3-4 years since planting) I bought from a local nursery. Growing in quite lean, sandy soil with auto-drip system for water.

I've seen several growing in waste areas of Abq; road medians, abandoned lots, etc. where they are thriving with no care whatsoever. So that's the approach I took with mine, stuck it in the ground, made sure it got occasional water and forgot about it - seems to be working.

ABQ_bob,
YOu got it. To much water kills them. They r really tough plants.THey survive in the Rio Grande delta with minimal water.

ALberto1444

Dry them off in the winter, cut them back and dump a layer of hay or straw over them. In the spring, don't water until you see some signs of budding, then soak them at regular intervals (every two weeks to a month).

My guess is that you are killing them with the watering, not the cold weather.

I had a huge Caesalpinia pulcherrima in McAllen, Tx, where it is hot and dry. It trived with just watering when I thought about it, (and we were not on water restriction!)
Now, I'm in Arkansas,(zone 6).I have 2 tiny starts from the very few seeds I brought with me.
I'm wondering if I dare to put them out in the soil over the winter, or keep them inside?
I only have a few seeds left, and don't want to wast them or kill the plants.
Any suggestions?

I'd keep them inside for the first winter.

They do well as pot plants in cold climates.