To be fairish , yellowing is n’t always a bad thing .

For case : when the banana in my pantry turn over a bright shade of yellowish , I have it off they ’ve reached ripe deliciousness .

Or when my macaroni turn lily-livered as I add that delectably punk pulverization , it ’s a polarity that an entire box of Kraft mac ‘ n ’ Malva sylvestris is about to put me in a blissful food coma .

A close up horizontal image of a bird of paradise flower growing in the garden with foliage in soft focus in the background.

However , when it come to birds of paradise , yellowing is a bit of a problem … peculiarly since species ofStrelitziaare evergreen plant .

Unlike deciduous plants , they do n’t go through leaf ageing in prep for a dormant season , so any yellow foliation on a bird of paradise signifies a health topic of some kind .

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A vertical image of bird of paradise (Strelizia reginae) plants growing in a tropical garden pictured on a blue sky background. To the top and bottom of the frame is green and white printed text.

Despite how sickly they may seem , discoloredStrelitzialeaves are no reason to panic .

With some prior noesis of what can cause yellowed bird of paradise foliage and the steps you may take to solve it , the fear of an unknown complicatedness is replace with reassurance .

If you know what ’s going on and what you ’re doing , you’re able to solve the trouble .

A close up horizontal image of a bird of paradise flower growing in the garden pictured on a soft focus background.

That ’s the goal of this guide : to give you the ability to deal with a yellowingStrelitziaon your own . We ’ll go over possible cause of a bird of paradise ’s yellow foliage , along with some solution !

Here ’s everything we ’ll treat , up ahead :

11 Common Causes of Yellowing Strelitzia Leaves

A case of yellowingStrelitziacan have many unlike , simultaneous lawsuit – or just one . Let ’s take a look at the most common perpetrator !

1. Climate Stress

Much like the parent of an overheated , loudly - kick child during summertime holiday , a bird of paradise can undergo stress when the surrounding clime is less than ideal . For this plant life , that stress can manifest as yellowing leaves .

Foroutdoor grow , these species call for to be planted in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 12 . These plants also need humidity like you ’ll find in the tropics or subtropics – desiccate orbit are too teetotal .

Forindoor growing , these plants require daytime temperature in the 70 to 75 ° farad range , and cooler nighttime temperature of 50 to 55 ° F .

A horizontal image of the view up between palm trees of bright sunshine.

They ’ll also need around 60 pct humidity , so be certain to provide that with supplemental misting if necessary , especially in the colder months .

2. Disease

Many different plant disease are evidence by a common symptom : leaf chlorosis . As such , sickness may very well be the perpetrator .

ProperStrelitziacultivation and infertile horticulture practices are essential for foreclose transmission . But if you already see signs of disease - drive foliar yellowing , you ’ll need to diagnose the precise shape .

For help on this , Google is n’t a bad alternative … heck , that may be how you set up this very template .

A close up of a pink LED grow light isolated on a white background.

But sometimes , visiting a search engine to see what ’s incorrect with a plant is like using WebMD to find out what ’s get a headache : you might conclude it ’s the wrong affliction and stress out over nothing .

This is where consulting experts at extension agents or plant life pathology specialists can get in handy – their expertness is invaluable , especially for the amateur gardener .

Needa primer on bird of paradise disease ? Our guide can help .

A close up horizontal image of dried, cracked earth.

Once you ’ve figure out what ’s going on , follow through nausea - specific solutions accordingly . If your raspberry of paradise makes a full retrieval , expect that light-green lushness to riposte – just not in any foliage that is already colour .

3. Improper Exposure

boo of paradise require full sun or partial shade so as to grow , which is a fairly wide range of exposures . And that only leaves one exposure case depart where they wo n’t boom : full nicety .

In full shadiness , a bird of paradise struggles . And such a struggle can leave aStrelitziawith – you guessed it – yellow leaves .

Remedying this is a pretty bare fix – just provide more light !

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Outside , this is more dependent on emplacement than anything else . You just might have to transplant it away from the shade of nearby building , or out from under a dull canopy , but the body of work of doing so is definitely worth it for foresightful - term flora health .

When a pottedStrelitziais growing indoors , it needs at least eight hours of lustrous sunshine exposure through a nearby window in orderliness to flourish .

If that ’s not possible , some well - direct LEDs mean for growing plants will provide ample light .

A close up vertical image of a dead bird of paradise flower pictured on a soft focus background.

contribute Grow Light

For such a light-headed fixture , head to The Home Depot .

say more inour guide to originate igniter for industrial plant .

A close up horizontal image of thrips insects on the surface of a leaf in high magnification.

4. Improper Irrigation

A chick of paradise ’s leafage is a lot like pass number one : if it ’s xanthous , then there ’s drying up afoot . Butunlikeanswering that particular call of nature , Strelitzialeaves can also change from green to a more lemony hue due to overhydration .

A birdie of paradise postulate more water than , say , a cactus . But it ’s also drouth - patient of , so it ca n’t just sit in water system without any contrary result .

Proper tearing is the way of life to solve this one . pee whenever the top two to three inch of territory are dry – no more , no less .

A close up horizontal image of a pair of pruners set on top of a pile of pruned garden debris.

In addition , hard weewee that ’s gamy in mineral like atomic number 20 and fluoride can offend the roots and induce leaf yellowing .

A solution to this is to utilise rainwater or distilled water , but I opine this technically falls under the umbrella of our next subject , so read on !

5. Improper Nutrition

When I say nutrition here , I ’m referring chiefly toplant macronutrients : atomic number 7 , Lucifer , and potassium .

But right aliment also let in micronutrient like B , zinc , and atomic number 26 . And all of these mineral have Goldilocks - eque requirement in plants : not too much , not too lilliputian , but an amount that ’s just good .

It ’s worth let a test done – your local extension office should offer soil examination service , which are a valuable style of knowing the nutritional makeup of your soil .

A close up horizontal image of a bird of paradise plant that is being dug up for transplanting.

From there , there aremany different fertilizersand soil amendments available which can dramatically alter the nutritional capacity and bioavailability of these ingredient in your garden .

Readour guide to see more about test land .

6. Improper Soil

Thankfully , a bird of paradise does n’t demand a minute compass of very specific grunge quality to be tidy .

However , soil that drain poorly , that ’s devoid of nutrients , and/or that ’s ridiculously acidic or alkaline wo n’t do aStrelitziaany favor , and will most in all probability lead to yellow foliage .

To best quash sickly leave of absence induce by unconventional dirt , propose for an optimal growing mass medium . For a skirt of paradise , this require to be well - drain , prolific , and loamy - textured , with a pH in the range of 5.5 to 7.5 .

Luster Leaf Soil Test Kit

A great ware for testing a ground ’s pH – along with its levels of nitrogen , atomic number 15 , and K – is offered byLuster Leaf on Amazon .

7. Old Age

Any old fashion plate with a magic trick knee joint or bad back can tell you that affair start to break down and might not work as well as they used to as you age . This is true for plants , too .

As a plant go up the end of its life , a stressor that it belike would ’ve tolerated in its youthfulness can stop up causing wellness take . So for aStrelitzia , yellow leafage can take place more easily with each passing day .

Unless you ’ve managed to solve mature , there ’s nothing to be done about this . All you could do with a shuttlecock of paradise is increase your alertness as it get old , and lower your expectations of what it can withstand .

For an elderly plant life that keep having problem , you might have to put it out to pasture … which can be done literally if you have yourcompost pileout in a subject field somewhere .

instead , you may separate an previous plant . These naval division will respond to the stress of division with new and rejuvenated growth ! Luckily , we ’ve gota guide to dividingStrelitziaavailable so you’re able to learn the bedrock .

8. Pests

When insects or arachnid infest a bird of paradise , they strain the industrial plant much like diseases can , and symptoms of this accent can include yellowing foliage .

Since a intelligent industrial plant can better withstand an infestation , cultivating aStrelitziaproperly and utilise healthful pattern in the garden are the main sort of bar .

In addition , you’re able to deter pests withbeneficial dirt ball . Encourage their presence in your garden by develop a variety of diverse , pollen- and ambrosia - producing flora .

But be sure to avoid systemic herbicides , since these can pass over out the favorable bug along with the ones you need to kill .

Frequently checking your plant for creepy - crawlies is a good idea . pick out pest early on makes them easier to grapple , and a rapid detection insure that minor damage wo n’t become a magnanimous trouble right under your nozzle .

If you ’ve noticed some pests , you ’ll need to identify them before you could effectively eliminate them .

For alist of commonStrelitziapests and way to combat them , refer to our guide on the subject .

9. Structural Damage

Whether it ’s a hurricane , misused tools , or a runaway lawnmower , random outside power can cause some serious physical harm to a bird of paradise .

For example : damaged solution and staunch ca n’t entirely underpin the leaf , which is a substantial stressor . And this can guide to yellow leaves .

There ’s not much anyone can do to change the weather condition or stop a natural disaster , but human error can definitely be controlled . “ Measure double , cut once , ” and all that jazz . Be mindful of your action around these plant !

And definitely plough off the engine every fourth dimension if you leave behind your lawn care equipment unattended .

10. Too Much Pruning

Do n’t get me wrong , pruning can definitely be a healthy practice . But it ’s of import to retrieve that any amount of pruning is nerve-racking to a plant .

Infrequent and moderate Venus’s curse of precise pruning stress a plant in a unspoilt way , excite the production of newer , more vigorous shoots .

But when a gardener prunes with heady abandon and takes off the majority of the greenery in one go , this can have severe works shock and result in yellow foliage .

To head off this , do n’t take off more than a third of aStrelitzia ’s leafy development at once .

Dead or diseased shoot can be snipped whenever you pass off to acknowledge them , but dedicate pruning sessions should be an yearly thing , rather done in former leaping .

For thespecifics on bird of paradise pruning , we ’ve got you covered in our templet .

11. Transplant Stress

When you literally uproot a bird of paradise and put it somewhere else , that ’s a pretty big stressor . And it ’s stressful enough to cause folio yellowing – especially if you clip the roots and prune the shoot prior to transplantation .

This can also occur indoors , because aStrelitziadoesn’t even have to give its growing medium to feel that transplantation accent .

If you purchase a potted one from a baby’s room and affect it into your living room , that in itself can be a stressful , leaf - yellowing experience for the industrial plant .

It ’s like if you moved an athlete from a professional training facility into a typical college brotherhood house . Both the jock and the bird of paradise used to have the ideal conditions and nutrition to thrive readily available .

But now that they ’re in the “ real world ” – where everything does n’t orb around their health and carrying into action – their fitness stage might drop some .

The jock may gain a few pounds and fall behind some strength after a few month of enjoying meth - cold brewskis with the boys . For a doll of paradise plant , some yellowing leaves might appear as it becomes establish in its new environment .

For out-of-door transplanting , you ’ll want to wet aStrelitzia ’s root zona beforehand so it ’s not exsiccate when you dig it out . For indoor transplants , try your best to double the consideration line up in its old environment wherever you ’re position it now .

aboveboard , this may be the least worrying entry on the list . Some focus is normal for a industrial plant when it ’s graft into a new surroundings , so do n’t worry too much . If a couple of leaves turn chicken , feel free to curve ‘ em off .

Find more tips on transplanting birdie of paradise industrial plant here .

Don’t Get Mellow If Leaves Turn Yellow

Cheer up , folk ! yellow bird of paradise leaves are nothing to be sullen about .

Yes , they can be indicative of a larger issue . But now you have the know - how to diagnose and deal them , so yellowStrelitziafoliage is but a speeding protuberance on the style to that lush verdure you ’ve grown to do it !

depend for even more dame of paradise templet ? Ask , and you shall welcome :

© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right hand RESERVED.See our TOSfor more detail . Product picture via Home Depot and Luster Leaf . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .

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Joe Butler