White Birds of Paradise Problems

I was hoping some of you might have experience with White Bird of Paradise.My leaves are starting to turn brown and curl upwards on the plant and it hasn't put out a new leaf in 6 months. It is kept in a corner in between two windows, I water it once a week,mist it with a spray bottle everyday, and have slow time released fertilizer on it. I did use the fertilizer rather weakly, I heard somewhere they are not fans of fertilizer. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions? I don't want to loose this plant :( I love it and my orange Birds of Paradise is just a baby, about 7 inches tall with 3 leaves, and a new one just coming in. But it is doing fine, so I am confused. I am gong to try to take some pics and upload it so you can see what I am talking about. Excuse the picture quality please, I am going to try it with the camera on my laptop.

Those white birds get 20 to 30ft tall here. I fertilize mine and they will take all the sun and water you can give. I'd venture a guess that it's in a dormant state with not nearly enough light or water right now, hence the fertilizer burn. (it's not growing so it can't use much food)

Pot it up into a huge pot, gradually increase watering, then move it outside. Once it starts a new leaf, fertilize it with your timed-release, and water it every day as long as the weather's hot. (it will use up the fert faster than the package says, when the weather's hot and you're watering a lot) Be careful not to shock it with cold water from the hose. Keep it outside for the summer, in a sunny place, and bring it in when the nights start getting cold. You can maybe extend its outdoor stay by moving it to the south side of your house, which will stay warmer longer in the fall. Mine withstand a light frost occasionally, but they're BIG and in the ground, so yours will be more vulnerable.

Really, on the whole I'd say it's not a great house plant unless you have a big atrium with tons of light, or a greenhouse. If this strategy is successful, it might be too big to come into the house by this fall. You may end up cutting off the tallest stem each year. (won't hurt it) But it will be big, lush and healthy with satiny dark green leaves. The biggest leaf in this first pic is 5ft. long and almost 2ft. wide. Plant is about 15ft. tall.

You might get flowers by late in the season if you can grow a big enough plant.

This message was edited Apr 30, 2012 1:38 PM

Thank you so much, I will go out tonight and get a bigger pot. I will also increase the water, and start putting out side during the day. I have a sunnier room but I liked having it in the living room, so I will be moving it today! Thanks again for the advice, I appreciate it. BTW, yours is fantastic! I can't wait till we move somewhere warmer!

You're welcome. You'll only put it outside when it's warm, though right?

In general, with these tropicals you need to think about "where/how does this plant grow naturally?" and try your best to give it as much of its natural conditions as you can. i.e. warmth, sun or strong light, and high humidity are requirements for most tropical houseplants. That's why those big beauties like the BOP's are usually seen in greenhouses and big, sunny atriums at malls and hotels.

The tropicals that grow naturally in the understory (shade under big trees) are the best ones for house plants, IF you can still supply humidity and enough light.

Oh, it will go outside when it is nice. Its still too chilly at night but it is supposed to be in the 70's and 80's this week. But I will wait and see how it feels with the wind blowing. Even if it never blooms, and I can just keep the foliage happy and growing, I would be happy :) I just recently bought a humidifier, so maybe I will also plug in a small heater in the room to help the temperature even higher. Its all worth a try anyways.

But I have been thinking of moving it to a bigger pot anyway, so now I will take advantage of that. It is only in a one gallon container but the plant isn't root bound at all, so I thought it should be ok. So, tonight it will get a new home. I have a 5 gallon and a 10 gallon pot, which should I transplant it into?

Go for the biggest one, absolutely! If you do get that baby growing, it will put out roots as it grows leaves, and you'd just be potting it up before summer's over anyway.

I'd recommend (if you can) buying a plant dolly with sturdy wheels so you can get it in and out of the house easily. I got a great stainless steel one at IKEA that's rated to 150lb.

Leaves vs. wind, be prepared for the leaves to get a bit tattered if the plant is in a windy spot. See mine in the picture above? They tear sideways in towards the midrib on each leaf. This is normal and doesn't hurt the plant but if you don't like how it looks you may want to find a spot protected from the wind.

Thank you so much for all the advice! My BoP is doing fantastic after being outside with increased watering. Take a look for your self, a new leaf!

Looks great. This is a repeat of something I said above but - in the summer when you're watering it, try not to shock it with cold water from the hose. Maybe keep a bucket or watering can next to the plant and fill it from the hose each time you water. Let the water sit in there so that it is the same temp as the air around the plant before you pour it in. Water in the late afternoon when the water is really warm.

The water that comes out of my hose in the summer is about 80deg.

Give it all the water you can - I promise you can't overwater it. Fertilize generously. Give it warmth and sun. Can't miss!

My white BOP is about 12 feet tall and I have it in a 16 inch pot...........I'm assuming, from what was said here, that I should put it in a bigger one, eh? I live in Wisconsin, but have a greenhouse for all my plants. That is why it is so big in this climate. It hasn't ever bloomed, but I'm thinking it never will.

Anna, if you want it to keep getting bigger and taller, definitely you'll need a bigger pot. If it's happy it will start putting up more stems, and you can eventually cut out the tallest trunk and let them grow. That will keep it manageable for you. Bear in mind they get 30ft. tall!

IF you leave it in the present pot, it might stay smaller, but the leaves will also get smaller and it won't be too pretty.

It might bloom if you could get it outside for some "real" sunshine. Next few weeks while the sun is at its strongest might give it the energy it needs to make a flower.

I have it out during the summer............along with the other bajillion pots of stuff I have.