NOTE: The terms Bird of paradise and Strelitzia reginae are identical in this text; in reality, Strelitzia reginae is Bird of paradise’s biological word.
One of the best-known tropical flowers is the bird of paradise (Strelitzia spp.). The banana plant is closely related to it. The bird of paradise plant is related to the tropical bird of the same name. It is easy to grow and makes for a fast growing indoor plant. It thrives outside for half the year during the summer.
Bird of paradise flowers in the late winter and early spring, but it can flower at other times of the year if the conditions are right. These plants grow without a trunk and have leaves that emerge from the soil. The large leaves range from 12 to 18 inches long and can get splits in the leaf when exposed to windy conditions or brushed against in a busy hallway. Cats and dogs are susceptible to Strelitzia.
Why does my Strelitzia reginae roots have rot?
Root rot on your Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) can be dangerous if left untreated. In order to keep your plant alive, we strongly suggest that you follow our advice if the signs start to show: blackened and mushy roots.
Why does my Bird of paradise have gray mold spots?
A particular fungus known as gray mold spots spreads quickly and frequently damages flowers. This fungus is probably to blame if you see any brown (or gray) spots. If you disregard these warning signs, your plant could die.
Our Solution
The solution is quite logical when you know the cause of the problem. Most of the time, it is due to overwater of the Strelitzia reginae. We advise you to remove the infected parts of the plant, cut off the infected roots and leaves, then repot your plant using sterile potting soil and a clean pot.
Why does my Bird of paradise have leaf spots?
This type of disease is one of the most frustrating for Bird of paradise owners, we give you all the leads to spot and save your plants that present symptoms such as leaves that suddenly change color, or wilt/droop.
Why are my Bird of paradise leaves turning yellow?
This is probably the most common problem in the gardening world, yellowing leaves. There are 2 main reasons for this phenomenon, overwatering, or a lack of nutrients.
Reduce your watering frequency when you fear your plants are being overwatered, and follow these steps to determine whether they may be lacking in nutrients:
Each deficiency produces a different yellowing on the Strelitzia reginae in question, here’s how to spot them:
- Magnesium deficiency starts as yellow patches between leaf veins on older leaves. Veins stay green as yellow moves from the leaf center out. Leaf edges turn yellow last.
- Yellowing between leaf veins is another sign of iron shortage, but young leaves on plant tops and branch tips are initially affected.
- The newest leaves are first affected by sulfur deficiency, rendering them completely yellow.
- Leaf edges turning bright yellow but inside leaf remaining green are signs of potassium insufficiency. The symptoms first appear on older leaves, and the leaf edges quickly become dark.
- A lack of nitrogen is indicated by a widespread yellowing. Older, inner leaves are the first to yellow. As the yellowing progresses, it eventually touches young leaves as well.
Our Solution
According to the symptoms mentioned above, you just have to act accordingly. You can reduce your watering frequency, or fix a deficiency in Potassium, or Nitrogen, for that, you just have to buy a special soil for your deficiency, a consultant in a gardening store will know perfectly well how to inform you.
Is my Bird of paradise sunburned?
It is simple to determine whether your Bird of paradise (your Strelitzia reginae) has sunburn. Your plant will change color in this instance, beginning to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.
The leaves of your Bird of paradise can also change color in case it gets too much water or not enough light, as we saw above.
However, there is a way to tell if it is sunburn; look at the bottom of the yellow leaves, the ones that have a shaded area closer to the root, if this area stays greener, it is probably sunburned, not something else.
Why are my Bird of paradise leaves turning brown?
A plant’s browning leaves are typically a symptom that it has been sunburned and has been exposed to excessive amounts of direct sunlight. Don’t worry; your plant probably won’t perish as a result, but its growth will be negatively impacted.
Should I leave my Strelitzia reginae in direct sunlight?
No! If your Strelitzia reginae (or Bird of paradise) has the symptoms described above, don’t leave it in direct sunlight, that’s the reason why your Bird of paradise is in such a state!
Our Solution
The remedy, as said in the paragraph above, is simple: just move your plant’s Bird of paradise out of direct sunlight. Your plant should swiftly re-grow with this strategy and appropriate watering.
Why are my Strelitzia reginae leaves drooping or wilting ?
In most cases, this happens when your Strelitzia reginae lacks water. This is especially the case for large plants, naturally they need more water than others.
Whether your Strelitzia reginae plant’s pot appears light, the soil and roots are likely fairly dry and need water, so you can readily tell if it needs to be hydrated.
Our Solution
If the soil in the container is completely dry, you must first moisten it to guarantee that your plant’s roots absorb the benefits of the water. One common mistake is to drown the Bird of paradise right away after a dry time because you think it needs a lot of water.
This is true, but the easiest way to end it is to give too much water at once. Instead, you should water the soil properly, returning to a peaceful watering rhythm.
Caring Tips for Strelitzia reginae
Water Occasionally
Water is necessary for your plant to live, but timing and amount of watering must be balanced. Overwatering could have disastrous effects on your own name, as we already mentioned.
The best way to know if your plant needs water or not is to touch the soil, if you feel it is still wet, it is probably a good idea to wait a few more days.
Always keep temperatures stable
It is also a good idea to keep your Strelitzia reginae at a stable temperature (especially if it is kept indoors!). At GreenShack, we generally recommend staying in the 65 and 85 degrees F range. Of course, do not place your Strelitzia reginae near a source of hot (or cold) air such as A/C units, radiators or the like.
Keep your Bird of paradise Dust-Free
This one relates to indoor plants. Just like your furniture, dust collects on the leaves of your indoor plants. The issue is that this can block the photosynthesis process from starting, which would cause the plants to gradually lose their color.
For your Bird of paradise, this would be a true descent into hell, and it would also appease the pests.
Take a microfiber cloth and gently massage the plant’s leaves to get rid of the dust. Use a damp cloth to make dust removal easier, but avoid using corrosive materials like rubbing alcohol!
Keep drainage in mind
If you tend to overwater, you need to pay attention to your drainage, and we advise choosing a saucer and a pot with drainage holes if they are not already there.
You can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the interim if your pots don’t already have holes in them. This will help to form a channel so that the water doesn’t pool there for too long (preventing the rot of the roots!).
