Bird of paradise dying one by one.

rasheedavis09-f1W66zI · 13 February

I really need help. My plant has been dying, it look’s completely dead now. What am i doing wrong ? How can i fix this ?

AnniD · 13 February

Some advice here until someone with personal experience comes along

https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-bird-of-paradise-plant-strelitzia-reginae/

Personally, l think it may be too late to save it, but hopefully l will be proved wrong.

Plantminded · 13 February

Is your plant near a window to get good levels of light but not direct sun, and does the pot have drainage holes @rasheedavis09-f1W66zI? I had one and it was quite demanding, requiring repotting and frequent watering. Eventually it outgrew the space and I replaced it with a palm.

Ceres · 13 February

Welcome to the forum.

Sadly I have to agree with @AnniD. That plant looks beyond help.

And so, to avoid the same thing happening in future, here are some questions. How long have you had the plant, when was it last repotted, do you feed it, how often do you water the plant, and does the pot have drainage holes (because if it doesn't, that is why your plant is looking so unhappy)?

Loxley · 13 February

It needs good sunlight - in winter it does want direct sun really! - and good drainage. In a dark position it will stop growing, and any water in the compost will cease to be taken up by the plant, and will just sit there and cause the roots to rot.

Balgay.Hill · 13 February

The compost does look very water retentive.

Obelixx · 13 February

I have a large one in a 60cm pot with well draining compost and a tray beneath so I can see it doesn't sit in water. It spends the warmer months against our south facing front wall.

Once temps go below 10C at night it comes indoors and sits in a south facing window and is fed a solution I make from soaking OH's daily banana skins in water in a 1.5 litre pot. Once it's full I strain it and feed it to my houseplants in between waterings and according to their needs. The skins then go in the compost. Sometimes I add orange peels as they're good agianst pests.

My Bird of Paradise currently has healthy foliage, 5 flowering stems, 2 already trimmed and 5 more coming.

Loxley · 13 February

There's no reason not to give saving it a go. Remove from the soil, trim off the stems (which are dead), shake soil off the roots, trim off any dead (soft or dried out) roots. Wash the remaining tuber in tepid water. Place on newspaper, allow to dry. Then pot into a very gritty open compost (say 50% houseplant compost with the rest made up of grit/perlite and orchid compost). Don't water, just firm in and put somewhere fairly warm and light that you can keep an eye on it. Prevent the compost totally drying out. If growth occurs move to a sunny location and step up the watering.

Bird of paradise dying one by one.

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