I love the Red Bird of Paradise shrubs. You just can't beat them for great summer color. These plants are actually native to the West Indies and tropical regions of Mexico. They can take the heat but look their best with moderate irrigation. The above-ground stems can be damaged by frosts but are usually root hardy and grow back each year when the weather warms a bit. Pruning to the ground now may not be the best idea. The plants are still growing and blooming. Any green leaves are manufacturing sugars that the plant will begin storing in its roots for next year. If you remove them it can actually starve the plant. If your plants need some minor grooming at this time of year (like removing about 12 inches of spent flower stalks), you can do that safely now. That will encourage some interior branching that will create a more dense shrub. It isn't necessary to prune these plant all the way to the ground in January unless the canes suffer frost damage. In warmer locations they tend to grow larger. Here is a link that might be useful: Red Bird of Paradise

I have 2 of these I planted almost 2 years ago. I bought them as bushes in 5 gallon buckets. It will grow fast, so you need to prune often in spring to thin out the desire to turn back into a bush. I trim off all new growth at the bottom and around the middle area where the main branches split off. This trimming encourages the growth back up into the canopy and growing taller. I trimmed 2 weeks ago, but have to trim again this week. Maybe 1-2 more trimmings will be necessary. My trees are now 6-8 feet tall and they bloom frequently. A neighbor 5 houses down has one that's easily 15 feet tall and looks like a tree, which is why I got them. It's perfect for a small space between houses in an HOA. The one pictured here actually has 2 trunks out of the ground, but you can have more or less primary trunks. Oh, and this is the only tree that has survived whatever chemicals the house builders dumped into the soil.

Mexican bird of paradise will not live more than about a year in even the largest container. I put one in a huge pot, and it got root-bound in no time and then died. They make extremely invasive roots and require a large area for growing. If you live in an area with frost, you might be able to handle one of those, but I would never put one in the ground.

The red Mexican bird of paradise tree I was speaking of above. This has to be one of the most no hassle trees I've ever had or plant I've ever had I just had what three seeds are put in a pot those already and have to buy plumeria which is in the shade and the Sun comes from the other side as the one down for the night from the middle to the west. But it is for the hot Sun too Saudi seeds started sprouting like that was in 3 days pretty in my seat I got from the the truth these were spent scenes meaning they were shaking in the pod eat the dark ones are even better. Open the pod get your CDL but Amanda nice. Very nice soil put them in about 1 inch down Miracle Grow potting soil.by super bloom trust me you have you some sprouts. The picture in my message is my tree its 7 foot tall and everything seems wonderful --it's very healthy except I didn't prune it downt fiery while.it was growing. Now its long and lanky big cluster at top and it kind kind of leans towards the sunshine because my neighbor's tree blocking half the yard wher I plan.to.build a gazebo