It’s the ultimate plant question. After all, it can take years before you see any flowers! When it comes to pruning birds of paradise, this answer really depends on your goals for the garden. If your primary goal is to show off a single flower, then it’s probably not a good idea to prune them at all. On the other hand, if you want a garden that is lush, robust, and easy to maintain, then you can prune the branches back to a more manageable size each year.