From my perspective as a Strelitzia, my tall and leggy growth is not a sign of illness but a natural response to my environment and a strategy for survival. I am reaching for the light I need to photosynthesize and thrive. However, I understand this appearance may not align with your aesthetic desires. To help me regain a fuller, more compact form while keeping me healthy, here is what you can do from my point of view.
My legginess, or etiolation, is primarily a plea for more photons. In my native habitat, I bask in bright, direct sun. When placed in a dim spot, my stems elongate rapidly, stretching toward any available light source to ensure my leaves can capture enough energy. This comes at the cost of robust, dense growth. Please move me to a much brighter location, ideally a south or west-facing window where I can receive several hours of bright, indirect or even some direct sunlight. This is the most crucial step; without sufficient light, any other measures will only provide temporary relief.
Do not be afraid to make strategic cuts. Pruning is a signal to me to redirect my energy. Using a clean, sharp pair of secateurs, you can remove the tallest, most leggy stems right at the base, near the soil line. This action encourages me to produce new, fresh growth from my base, leading to a denser, bushier appearance. You can also remove any old, damaged, or yellowing leaves to improve air circulation and direct my resources to healthy growth. The best time to perform this surgery is in the spring or early summer when I am entering my most active growth phase and can recover quickly.
If I am very mature and have been in the same pot for many years, my legginess might be compounded by being root-bound. My underground parts, the rhizomes, may have multiplied to the point where the pot is overcrowded. This competition for resources can sometimes contribute to weak, spindly growth. During the spring, you can carefully remove me from my pot and use a sharp, sterile knife to divide the root mass into two or more sections, ensuring each new plant has several healthy stems and a good portion of roots. Repot each division into a fresh, well-draining potting mix. This not only controls my size but also rejuvenates me and creates new plants.
While addressing the underlying causes, you can also provide physical support for my current form. My large, heavy leaves on long petioles can sometimes benefit from a moss pole or a sturdy stake. Gently tying me to a support helps prevent me from toppling over and keeps my appearance tidier. Furthermore, ensure you are feeding me correctly. During the growing season, a balanced, liquid fertilizer applied monthly provides the nutrients I need to produce strong, healthy new growth after pruning, rather than more weak, leggy stems.
