Hi,

When I acquired this giant BOP nearly two years ago, I didn't think it would live through our Pennsylvania winter. I kept it in a bright bathroom and, surprisingly, it made it, but it never looked well enough for me to fool with. It's biggest challenge is bending stems -- so arched that the leaves nearly touch the floor.

I thought perhaps the pot was too small, so just this spring it seemed steady enough for me to transplant it to a bigger pot. Then the Pennsylvania summer hit. It's like Cambodia -- steamy all day, steamy all night, 85-95 degrees, tons of rain this summer...absolutely sweltering. It's finally flourishing in partial shade (morning sun/dappled blazing afternoon sun) on my patio. It's really taking off, with new shoots appearing that become healthy upright stems and leaves. I'm not sure if it's taking off because it's in tropical weather or because it was repotted or both.

So this seems like a good time to get some advice about where this guy and I are taking our relationship. (Apologies for my photos...this plant is very heavy and difficult to move in the sweltering heat here.) It stands about 5' high. It's actually a pot of three plants, although the roots may be commingled by now. Any recommendations regarding this 13" pot? Should I separate the three plants for them to flourish more? Does this 13" pot appear too shallow? Too small for three plants?

There are a few old burned/torn leaves that should be removed. Should I also remove older leaves that are healthy but still arched and not supporting their weight well? How should I remove them -- at the bottom of the leaf or at the base of the plant? Some older arched leaves have new shoots nestled inside them -- if I should remove the old leaves at the base of the plants, how do I remove it without harming the developing leaf?

How can I keep the leaves from arching in the future? Is this unavoidable during winter when PA gets much less sunlight? Would a deeper pot help it stand more upright? (Again, the newest leaves are standing quite straight.)

Should I remove the old brown leaf "shells" at each plant's base (see photo)? If so, how do I do it with current leaves nestled into those brown shells?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. I really dig this plant and I'm hoping we have a future together!

Susan.

Hi Susan - Your plant is a White Bird of Paradise, a different variety than a true Bird of Paradise. Its best use is indoors as a specimen foliage plant or outdoors in warm weather, but only in deep shade at all times. Yours has suffered from significant changes in the light. Leaves are adapted to the light they receive at the time they first emerge. When the light subsequently changes, then those leaves suffer accordingly. That is why it is best to find a very sunny location to keep it inside year round. If you do move it outside in warm weather, then keep it well shaded to minimize the difference in light intensity.

Yes, prune off all the discolored leaves and those that are drooping badly as they will never recover. Healthy leaves will arch gracefully as they age and should maintain their healthy color. Changes in light, poor light and under watering will all contribute to leaf drooping.

It does appear that yours has outgrown its pot. (This is less of a problem when the plant is kept indoors year-round). You are correct that the roots of the three plants are completely entwined. That makes dividing the sperate plants much more complicated and risky. So, I suggest just moving them together leaving the rootball intact to the next larger pot (14 to17-inch) that has a drain hole.

When you repot, you may be able to reposition each plant stem slightly so they are each in a more upright position. Tamp down the soil around each stem to hold the plants in place.

When you prune off drooping stems cut as far back as you can but don't remove the center growing tip of any of the plants.

The dead brown sheaths at the base can be removed for aesthetic purposes.

Below is a White Bird that has been in that location (windows face south) for almost 10 years. It is still in its original 14" nursery pot set inside a decorative planter. Older drooping leaves are occasionally pruned off. It is watered thoroughly once per week.

Hi Will,

I was hoping you'd reply -- Thanks so much for the advice! I am going to get on it today. I was inspired by a very brief trip to California, where the BOP are trees and just starting to bloom. I'm sure mine will look just like that in no time -- ha, ha!

Thanks again, I appreciate it,
Susan.