Bird of paradise leaf curl

[Brado78]

Hello, I recently bought a Bird of Paradise plant, and the plant was in a tiny pot, I transplanted it, in good potting mix, it is kept indoors and watered but now the leaves are starting to really curl badly, It is inside lots of light and water with good drainage? I thought this was suppose to be an easy plant :/...please help with any suggestions thank you very much

 

[Sgt. York]

Too much water can cause leaf curl.

 

[FeuerFrei]

Air indoors not humid enough?

 

[Brado78]

i don't know, i think it is starting to uncurl a little bit after i brought it in the house...:/ If I have it under a good bridght grow light will it eventually bloom? or does it need real light?

 

[FeuerFrei]

<---- Not familiar with plant. I found this quote on joyusgardening.com.

How to care for Bird of Paradise indoors:

–> High light is the key. Give the Bird Of Paradise as much natural light as you can – it needs this for foliage & flower production. Be sure to rotate your plant (unless it gets light from all sides) so it grows evenly.


–> Just like outdoors, it likes to grow crowded so don’t rush to do any transplanting. By keeping it slightly potbound you’ll get much better blooms.


–> You want to give keep it slightly moist by giving it regular water. In the cooler, darker months be sure to back off on the watering allowing it to dry out before doing it again. This plant is susceptible to root rot so don’t keep it “mushy”.


–> Our homes tend to be dry so you can increase the humidity with a saucer filled with pebbles & water. Set the pot on top making sure that no roots are staying soaked. Or, you can mist it a couple of times a weeks.


–> You want to plant it in a nice, rich potting mix. A few handfuls of coco coir added in would be greatly appreciated.


–> In terms of feeding, you can give your Bird Of Paradise a drink with a balanced organic liquid houseplant fertilizer in the spring. If it looks like it needs a little boost mid-summer, then do it again. You can also apply a 2″ layer of organic compost &/or worm castings in the spring. This works slower but the effects last longer.


–> The leaves would greatly appreciate a good cleaning every now & then. If you can’t put it in the shower or put it outside in the rain, then wipe the foliage with a wet cloth every now & then.


This plant is really easy to care for outdoors (it’s 1 tough puppy) but is a little more of a challenge indoors. If you like bold tropical foliage and big bright blooms then it’s so well worth the effort!


Happy gardening,

I know some plants, when brought indoors, go through an adjustment phase and can shed foliage, etc as they respond to the change in lighting and humidity.