My Bird of Paradise Leaves Curling: Reasons & Fix

Bird of paradise is a big-foliage plant, that often grows indoors as an ornamental piece. Its oblong leaves seem striking while growing in a long banana-leaf-like concave shape in a deep green shade.

This is a flowering houseplant, but undoubtedly foliage is the main attraction of this plant. The leathery surface of the leaves gets decorated due to the plain and straight edges.

However, the beautiful glance of this plant gets interrupted when the edges of the leaves turn to curl. It occurs due to some mismanagements in their caring regimen.

Unfortunately, this simple troubleshoot issue could become fatal to your plant, if you don’t pay attention in time! Hence, let’s check out some must-known facts about the leaves curl of this bird of paradise plant in this attempt-

Why Leaves Curl in Your Bird of Paradise:

Leaves-curl in a bird of paradise plant could appear for many reasons. Such as-

1. Extreme Dry Soil:

Do not keep the soil of a bird of paradise plant dry for a longer period. This plant prefers a constantly moist but not soggy growing medium to thrive best. If you can’t hydrate the growing media well, it will affect the leaves and provide leaf-curl shortly.

2. Overwatering Issue:

We already mentioned the to keep the soil moist but not water-logged. However, some novice gardeners misapprehend the concept and water their plants excessively. This kind of soggy growing medium encourages fungal infestation in the soil and makes the leaves curly within a short period.

3. Root Rot:

Water-logged soil not only encourages fungal infestation but also causes root rot in your plant after some time. To keep the root healthy, you must water your plant adequately and maintain a perfect drainage system constantly. So, always make sure the pot and soil mix can drain the excess water well to avoid root rot.

4. Using Unfiltered Tap Water:

Expert gardeners always prefer filtered or distilled water for gardening. Normal tap water comes with lots of chemicals and toxic elements. So, we prefer that you should avoid using any kind of poor or bad water attentively to hydrate your bird of paradise plant well. Usage of this kind of bad water causes salt crystal buildup in the soil, which hampers the health as well as looks of your plant soon.

5. Unsuitable Light Condition:

Leaves of birds of paradise plants need bright and warm sunlight to stay healthy and green. Lights are also essential to maintain the photosynthesis process uninterruptedly. However, make sure that you don’t keep the plant under direct sun exposure for too long. Too much direct heat sometimes turns the leaves curly and discolored after a certain period.

6. Improper Climate:

Despite the stiff and erect looks of the leafstalk of birds of paradise plants, they can’t tolerate temperature stress or improper humidity stress at any cost. This tropical plant needs a consistently warm and high-humid condition to stay healthy. If you put it in a cool or low-humid place for long, the leaves of this plant will start curling inevitably within a few weeks.

7. Pests and Bugs Issue:

Aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, flies, etc. are some common insects, you can find around a bird of paradise plant. They not only bit on the stem and leaves but also suck the essential nutrients from the sap of the plant. Thus, you can’t save your plant from getting curly leaves, if you don’t treat this nuisance in time.

8. Repotting Shock:

Sometimes replantation could stress your bird of paradise plant undefinably. This plant is very delicate and thus, repotting course always seems hard to this houseplant. Their roots are such venerable that they can’t even stand the gentlest touch during the replantation. It takes time to settle in its new growing medium and that’s when the leaf curl occurs unexpectedly sometimes.

9. Overfertilization:

Bird of paradise plants are low to the medium feeder and thus, don’t need much fertilization to thrive. If you feed this plant more than their actual needs, it will cause nitrogen buildups in the roots. Excessive nitrogen could burn the roots and end up with the curly leaves after some time.

10. Poor Potting Mix:

To grow well and uphold its exclusive leaves, the bird of paradise plant always needs to cultivate in fertile soil. No matter whether you are growing this plant indoor or outdoor, it prefers a rich soil type in both cases. If you use any poor type of growing mix at the time of plantation or replantation, it will end up having curly leaves at the culmination.

Types of Curls Appear on Your Plant Leaves?

You can find two different types of curliness on the curly leaves of a bird of paradise plant. they are like-

Plant Leaves Curling Inwards:

In this condition, curls seem on the innermost edges of the leaves and appear lengthwise. This kind of curl appears due to watering, climate, and light issues.

Leaves Curling Outwards:

In this ailment, curls appear on the outer margin of the leaves of a bird of paradise plant and appear widthwise. This sort of curl occurs due to poor soil, fertilization, or pest problems.

Can You Revive Leaves Curl of Bird of Paradise Plant?

Curly leaves on a bird of paradise plant could be reversible with proper remedy methods. If you can detect the real cause and apply the perfect remedy method accordingly, you can save your favorite plant and revive within 1-2 weeks effectively.

How to Fix and Prevent Leaves Curl in Bird of Paradise:

To amend leaves-curl in a bird of paradise plant and prevent them from occurring again, you must follow these simple hacks consequently-

1. Hydrate Your Plant Well:

To water your bird of paradise plant accurately, follow these tips-

• Water only the top 1-2 inches of the soil seems dry
• Try bottom to top watering method
• Apply 1-2 inches deep watering once a week using only distilled water

2. Use Faultless Soil:

Be attentive while choosing the soil for a bird of paradise plant-

• Prepare a mix with perlite, peat, moss, coir, and potting mix
• Keep the pH level slightly acidic
• And make sure the soil is fertile with organic matter

3. Keep The Drainage System Perfect:

To maintain a good drainage system for your plant, follow these tricks-

• Make the soil loose and balanced with well-drained mediums
• Use a planter that has properly working drainage holes
• And pick a potting mix that can drain faster

4. Let The Roots Healthy:

To keep the roots eternally healthy of your bird of paradise plant, go with these tips-

• Let the soil consistently moist but not soggy with adequate watering
• Never harm a root during plantation or repotting session
• And always use growing essentials that can drain well

5. Choose the Right Spot to Place:

Choosing the right spot is also crucial for a bird of paradise plant to keep it healthy-

• Choose a spot where your plant can get bright light
• Make sure that your plant is under the sun with partial shade
• Provide 6-8 hours of bright but indirect sunlight every day to your plant

6. Maintain an Ideal Growing Condition:

To sustain a preferable growing climate, follow these tricks-

• Maintain a temperature between 65° to 85° F steadily
• Keep the humidity level of the place always high
• Never let the temperature drop below 60° ever, even during the night

7. Fertilize Mindfully:

To feed your bird of paradise plant accurately and accordingly, try these hacks-

• Feed your plant only 3-4 times a year
• Apply any water-soluble balanced fertilizer in diluted form
• Use organic plant food to the utmost to keep the nitrogen requirements fulfilled

8. Treat Insects:

To get rid of pests and bugs issues permanently-

• Wipe the foliage with a piece of alcohol-dipped cloth once a month
• Give your plant a good rinse once a year
• And apply neem oil spray on the entire plant, once every 2-3 weeks

9. Avoid Repotting:

To avoid the replantation stress, try these tips-

• Do not repot your plant until it is absolutely necessary
• Avoid using any tools during the replantation process
• And make your holds as delicately as you can during this process

10. Prune in Time:

The final and pro tip to keep the leaves of your bird of paradise plant uncurled eternally, try these pruning tips-

• Trim off any healthy leaf from your plant that has curls and discoloration both
• Try to give the foliage of your bird of paradise plant enough space to thrive well]
• And prune only those sections which you find unreversible from unhealthiness

So, these are some smart moves you should take to maintain the healthiest form of your bird of paradise plant uninterruptedly.

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