bird of paradise deformed leaves

Question

I have a bird of paradise plant that I got sometime around last November. Everything has been going well up until around last week. Three new leaf stalks have sprouted and when they got mature, I noticed the leaves came out deformed. It’s hard to explain, and would be easier if I could attach a picture, but it would look almost as if the new leaves were made of plastic, and someone melted the edges. They’re not as full and open as the other leaves. I regularly water it and have used Miracle-gro shake and feed every three months. Other than that, that’s all I’ve done besides watering it. If you need a picture, please let me know and I can send one.

Thanks in advance,
Kade

Answer 1

Birds of paradise do that sometime. Their leaves form in a growing tip deep down inside the structure, much like grass and palms. The plant suffered some kind of stress when the leaves were deep in this nursery; it may even have been when you purchased the plant. As more new leaves form, they should be ok. If you start to see brown on the edges and/or tips of the leaves, cut back on the water.