If you’re looking for a plant that adds life and color to your home, look no further than the Bird of Paradise. This tropical plant loves bright, natural light but there are a few things to consider before you bring one home.
In this blog post, we’ll cover how much light a Bird of Paradise needs so you can keep it thriving and encourage it to bloom.
How Much Light Does a Bird of Paradise Need?
The Bird of Paradise is a beautiful, tropical plant that requires bright light to thrive. It should receive at least 5 hours of direct, morning sun each day to ensure strong growth and flowering.
While it can handle direct sun and bright indirect light, the Bird of Paradise will flourish best when placed in a sunny spot with either full or part sun. Additionally, artificial lighting can be used to supplement natural sunlight if needed. However, it is important to make sure not to over-expose the plant to too much light as this can cause damage.
To optimize the light exposure for your Bird of Paradise, make sure to place it in the sunniest spot in the room and adjust its positioning during the different seasons to make sure it continues to get enough light.
Adjusting the Lighting Schedule According to Seasons
During the summer months, you can move your plant closer to a window or balcony and provide it with more direct sunlight to take advantage of stronger sunlight due to the higher angle of the sun in the sky.
On the other hand, during the winter months, you may need to provide your plant with more artificial light as natural sunlight may be limited. Additionally, you can use timers to automate the on/off times of your artificial lights. This will ensure that your bird of paradise gets the right amount of light throughout the year, regardless of season.
Bird of Paradise plants bloom during the late winter and spring, so it can be a good idea to provide it extra lighting during these times of year to make sure you get the most out of its bloom season.
Natural Sunlight vs. Artificial Lighting
When it comes to providing your Bird of Paradise with the right amount of light, you have two main options: natural sunlight and artificial lighting.
Natural sunlight is a great option for your Bird of Paradise as it’s free and abundant. The sun provides a spectrum of light that is perfect for your plant, as it helps to promote photosynthesis and ensure healthy growth. Additionally, natural sunlight can help to create vibrant colors in the flowers and foliage of your Bird of Paradise.
However, when it comes to indoor plants, natural sunlight can be difficult to come by. If you don’t have access to bright natural light, then you may need to consider artificial lighting. Artificial lighting can provide the same spectrum of light that natural sunlight does, albeit in a more concentrated form.
This type of light can be beneficial for indoor plants, as it helps to promote healthy growth without having to worry about the risks associated with too much natural light. However, you should take care when using non-led grow lighting, as plants can still be damaged if they receive too much light.
The Benefits of Natural Sunlight
The bird of paradise is a tropical plant that loves the heat and light from the sun. Natural sunlight is an ideal way to provide your bird of paradise with the light it needs for nourishment and growth. It provides the energy the plant needs to photosynthesize, enabling it to produce food and energy for itself. Natural sunlight also helps the bird of paradise to bloom, as it needs a certain amount of light to flower. Natural sunlight also helps keep the temperature in your home or garden consistent, which is essential for the plant’s health.
Artificial lighting can provide the enough light to keep your plant happy, but it may not be as efficient – meaning it will be significantly weaker at 1’6″ from the light source compared to 6″ from the light source. Artificial lights are also not able to penetrate through layers of foliage like natural sunlight can, so they need to be placed very close to the plant in order to provide adequate light.
Because of how powerful the sun is, this isn’t a concern with natural light. Your bird of paradise will get as much light on the floor as it would on a table as long as it’s receiving full sun.
Artificial lighting also tends to be more expensive than natural sunlight, making it less cost-effective in the long run.
What Are the Benefits of Artificial Lighting?
When it comes to providing your Bird of Paradise with the light it needs, natural sunlight is always the best choice. However, there are times when artificial lighting is a better option.
Artificial lighting can provide more consistent illumination than natural light, meaning your plant will receive the same amount of light throughout the day, even if it’s cloudy or raining outside. Artificial lighting also offers more control over the intensity and duration of light exposure, allowing you to customize the amount of light your plant receives. You can set up a timer and a small grow light to make sure your plant gets light from 8AM until 8PM every day easily, and the weather won’t impact how much light your plant receives.
This is especially useful during winter months when natural sunlight hours are limited. With artificial lighting, you can also adjust the lighting schedule according to seasons, giving your Bird of Paradise the right amount of light all year round.
Choosing the Right Artificial Lighting Setup
When choosing artificial lighting, it’s important to select a lamp or light bulb with a spectrum that closely matches that of natural sunlight. This will ensure that your bird of paradise will get the light it needs without sacrificing quality.
If you’re not choosing a dedicated grow light, the next best option is to choose a light bulb that uses the “daylight” spectrum and avoid a “soft white” bulb if possible.
A good amount of light to provide to ensure good growth and flowering would be 800 Foot Candles, which would be the equivalent of a 60 watt light bulb at 1 foot away or four of them at 2 feet away from the plant. If you have a par meter, it would be 160 umol.
The Risks of Too Much Light
When it comes to the bird of paradise, too much light can be a bad thing. While the plant loves the sun, it can become sun scorched if exposed to too much light. This is especially true during the summer months when the sun is at its strongest.
To prevent any damage, you should provide your bird of paradise plant protection from the afternoon sun, especially during the warmer months. Too much direct sunlight can also cause the leaves to become yellow and wilted.
Lastly, over exposure to sunlight can cause the bird of paradise to become weakened, making it more susceptible to disease and pests.
Positioning the Plant for Maximum Benefit
When it comes to positioning your Bird of Paradise, the key is to ensure it’s getting the right amount of light. The best way to do this is to place it where it will receive direct sunlight for at least six hours a day.
This could mean placing it near a south-facing window or directly in front of an east or west-facing window. If you’re using artificial lighting, you should position the light no more than 18 inches away from the plant for optimal results.
This will provide the best balance of light and warmth to ensure your Bird of Paradise grows and blooms healthily.
Make sure to rotate your plant every week or two to ensure even exposure to sunlight on all sides, whether you’re using natural or artificial light.
Tips for Providing the Right Amount of Light
When it comes to providing your bird of paradise with the right amount of light, there are a few tips that you should keep in mind.
First and foremost, keep in mind that the bird of paradise can tolerate medium light conditions, but will not thrive long-term without adequate sunlight. Therefore, it is important to provide enough natural sunlight for your plant. If you are unable to provide enough natural sunlight, consider supplementing with artificial lighting.
Make sure to adjust the artificial lighting schedule according to the season, as the amount of light that your plant will need will vary throughout the year.
Additionally, pay attention to how your plant is positioning itself and adjust its location accordingly. For example, if your plant is leaning towards the window, this is an indication that it is receiving too little light and you should move it closer to the window or provide artificial light to supplement the natural light it’s receiving. Also, it means you should be rotating your plant more.
Lastly, be mindful of the risks associated with too much light and monitor your plant closely to ensure that it is getting just enough light for optimal growth.