There are three species of bird of paradise (Caesalpinia) grown in the Southwest, red (C. pulcherrima), yellow (C. gilliesii), and Mexican (C. mexicana). In general, the pruning of bird of paradise shrubberies is necessary only to remove frost-damaged limbs or to remove dead, crossing or damaged branches. More pruning will be needed if you are growing the Mexican bird of paradise and plan it to be developed and maintained as a small tree. Once blooming is finished, the flower stalks may be removed to prevent seedpods from forming and to reduce the likelihood of volunteer seedlings. If the pods are left on the plant to dry and split, the seeds can be thrown a surprising distance. The red bird of paradise dies back to the ground at temperatures below freezing. It generally regrows in spring from the ground and can be pruned to a few inches above the ground in late winter. Mulching the base of plants in colder areas may protect the crown until spring. For Tecoma stans, it is not necessary to cut way back or cut them down each winter. Generally, you should prune dead wood in early spring and otherwise just do light selective thinning as needed to maintain the size. Hard pruning Tecoma stans-orange jubilee back to 12-inch canes is sometimes done to reduce the size and to maintain its upright shape. Hard pruning is stressful for the plants so if you choose that method you might do it every third year.
