Hello!

First post, decided to join once my plant family got large enough that I realized I needed some help with a few of them. This birds-of-paradise was my first big purchase and he's been very good by growing and sprouting new leaves. I named him Big Boy

However, the leaves and stems are now bending because they're growing up and getting heavy. I did have him inside his original pot (the plastic green tub) within this white potter, and today I just transferred it fully to the white pot. I dipped the roots in water and saturated the soil that I put down as a base layer. Added plant food. There is drainage as well. This has been his spot since I bought him a year ago, and you can see that I keep that blind open and help get indirect sunlight.

As you can see there are a few offsets within the pot and I'm worried that this pot isn't big enough. I also bought this stake today to help keep the leaves and stems upright, but any tips on how to keep him flourishing would be appreciated!

Your White Bird has done well, but it would really benefit from more direct sunlight in front of or close to a sunny window. More light will create thicker stems that are less prone to bending.

The pot it is in is plenty large enough and it will not need repotting for a long time. Water it thoroughly as soon as the top half-inch of soil feels dry. Soil that gets too dry causes the new leaves to unfurl irregularly.

Tcs0818,

Your Giant White Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia nicolai) looks great! I agree, much more direct sunlight will help to make for stronger stems. They are grown as landscape plants here where I live and they do get huge!

Mine is doing the same thing and is placed in front of a window.I don't know how to help it.

For a more upright growth habit they need extremely bright light, which is almost impossible in indoor situations.

I bend my indoor white bird back intentionally by tying the stems together. It's at the ceiling. I know I'll have to find another home for it one day as tying it back won't work forever, the leaf span is taking up a lot of space.

And like the others said, these plants need sun. Putting them just anywhere won't work. Any facing window would be better than no window at all.

I have had my strelitzia for 4 years now. There are 3 plants all together
My problem is bending leaves. It's taking up so much room. I had hoped it would be more upright. I have made sure it has a thorough watering when it gets a little dry. But it looks a bit droopy.

These plants grown outdoors in Florida naturally droop the outer bottom leaves as your indoor plants are doing, they also have quite a spread and will make clusters of plants. My neighbor has one on the side of their house, the bottom leaves eventfully lie on the ground, turn brown and die off. I'd just cut off the leaves that are in your way. Eventually they'll probably just outgrow being an indoor plant.