I'm attaching a few pics of what's been happening with my BOP plant since I've had it over the last month or so. The leaves seem to be splitting and breaking. Does anyone know if this is because of the weight of the leaves? What else could be causing it, lack of moisture? The top pic is when I bought it at the nursery. As you'll see, the leaves were much less broken at that time. Thanks for any help! I'd hate to lose this gorgeous plant!

Rob.

You will have to tell us what the growing conditions are.........in detail. Do you thank that this large plant, with these large leaves, simply got traumatized when you took her home? Loading, transporting, and unloading can cause damage easily, and these leaves are so large, that they can be damaged pretty easily.

Inadequate light & humidity can cause this. Indoors BOP need to be misted frequently - particularly in winter. And how much light? Near a window?

Since I brought mine in (6 footer) ~ Oct 12, many leaves are shredding and I mist mine.

Indoors they have a tendency to do this - but yours is quite extreme.

The ends of leaves start to curl and roll back (upwards) and then they rip.

Beyond the above, not much you can do about it and nothing can be done to "fix" the ripped leaves. (Sorta like banana leaves out doors ripped to shreds.)

Good luck.

to ATP.

My Giant BOP does this, especially after a storm or rain. I don't think I have ever had an unscathed leaf? I think it is the look of the plant, truth be told. The leaves, before they tear on their own are sort of curl inward naturally and won't lie flat. Am I describing them correctly? I think the tears and splits are meant to happen. You see them this way on all mature specimens.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=...

Also, to add. BOPs are water lovers. If during when a new leaf is unfurling it doesn't get enough water, it seems that the tip of the leaf is what suffers. Which might explain your second photo. A healthy leaf will emerge without a leaf tip or a browning leaf tip. Make sure it gets LOTS of water and bright sunshine.

All my experience as well Cheryl.

Nature has designed White Birds with leaves that split and tear easily so they are not uprooted in strong winds outdoors. When grown indoors, wind is not an issue, but there are several conditions that will contribute to excessive splitting.

Low humidity can be part of the problem, but that can be counteracted if the roots are kept sufficiently moist. If yours is properly potted its nursery pot, then it should be watered thoroughly as soon as the top surface feels dry. Misting will not help unless you plan to mist hourly every day! A humidifier may help somewhat. But proper watering is more important.

White Birds require a lot of very bright light. They must be right in front of a north or east window and a few feet back from a south or west window. Inadequate light will lead to weak stems and leaf splitting.

Most leaf splitting occurs as new leaves unfurl. If water and light are insufficient, the unfurling does not go smoothly and the leaves get "stuck" as they open up partially, small sections at a time. If one section opens and an adjacent section does not, then the new leaf will tear. It is hard to explain, but you can assist with the unfurling by gently using your fingers. But if they are not unfurling properly, it is an indication of inadequate light or water.

BTW, leaf splitting is only an aesthetic issue and does not mean the plant is dying.

Mine has 8 leaves. Two oldest/smallest have fallen off since I brought it in in Oct. All leaves are tearing to some extent. One new leafy unfurling now. Can't wait to get it back outdoors where I sink the pot in one of my Tropical areas.

I just bought one and after a few days it also started to split and I see small cuts in a few leaves. At California Home Depot it looked great. I did water it and is getting good sun. Any help is appreciated?

The photo taken at HD reveals that they have pruned off several leaves that were probably split or torn. It is quite common for White Birds to develop split leaves. This is nature's adaption to the large leaves otherwise acting as wind foils and uprooting the plant outdoors. A limited amount of splitting is quite normal and not indicative of a problem necessarily.

Allowing the soil to get too dry contributes to the leaf splitting. Be sure to water copiously as soon as the surface soil is nearly dry. Keeping it close to a sunny window will also help.

Hi All, my indoor BOP leaves are tearing in the middle part of the leaf and sides are getting curled, not sure what is causing this, any ideas why this is happening even to new growth leaves, thanks.

If the new leaves are not unfurling easily and cleanly, then you may be under watering.

@mono2448. Please take a moment to update your "Profile", putting in your location that includes your USDA zone.

I have lots of birds, both the smaller orange and the huge white, but they are all outside. I did not realize that these could be grown as houseplants since they thrive in full sun. Is that an orange or a white? Like Will says, bird of paradise plants do best when the potting/ground soil stays constantly slightly moist. That's what I try to do with all mine.

Ken - Nearly all full-sun foliage plants can be grown indoors if they are kept close to and directly in front of a sunny, unobstructed, uncovered window. Of course, when indoors they don't grow nearly as rapidly or as large. They also require some acclimatization when moved to reduced indoor light. The better nursery growers start to acclimate plants sold for indoor use several months prior to sale.

Years ago, after caring for many Ficus Elastica indoors, I went to Florida and was stunned to see huge 25-foot Elasticas loaded with dense leaves. That was an eye-opener for me in realizing the difference between growing plants indoors vs. outdoors in warm climates.

Live and learn, Will. I never imagined that any nursery would grow a bird in shaded conditions. I just assumed, apparently incorrectly, that a bird, particularly a white bird, wouldn't do well inside unless someone had a great set-up, like my solarium back in Mississippi. That structure was more like a climate-controlled greenhouse though. Do birds, grown exclusively indoors, bloom?

Ken - I have yet to see a Strelitzia bloom indoors and don't expect I ever will! The White Birds seem to hold up better indoors as foliage plants. Reginae is almost never used indoors.

Here is one that has been in a NYC living room for about 8 years. It is still in its 14" nursery pot and was much smaller initially.

I see what you mean, Will. That photo shows nice foliage, though kind of "leggy". An 8-10 yr. old white bird would probably be 20' tall (or even twice that) here in FL.

Reduced light indoors definitely affects the growth habit and overall appearance of plants kept indoors. But they can and do survive and remain healthy. That is why I am always surprised to see how different plants grow outside in warmer climates like yours. That is also why I generally avoid commenting on plants that are grown primarily outside year-round.

Hello mono2448, growing BOP indoors is really a challenge. I don't consider it a good candidate at all for indoor growing, unless your area is a year round tropical area. Nice if there is a good south facing window you can position it or a nice skylight above it.

But to answer your question, I would agree it may be experiencing humidity issues. They flourish so nicely outdoors in full sun with frequent rains and humidity levels at least 60% and higher. Some would try to increase humidity by grouping plants together, or have an indoor water fountain. To a certain point you can increase watering, but still got to allow some dry out time, roots need to breathe too. It all depends on your existing ambient conditions there.

We all have varying growing areas, so what works well with others may not apply to you. Good luck, keep us posted how it goes!