---
title: "Any ideas on why my bird of paradise leaf looks rusty? It’s one of…"
description: "Any ideas on why my bird of paradise leaf looks rusty? It’s one of the older leaves on the plant, none of the other leaves look like this."
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ/2l1nCEKvYOnbYgyEU7Vjw0"
community: "Pests, diseases and problems"
author: "Ray"
published: "2026-01-24T01:13:27.495407Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/xKuPLJdIFfrfZhsxh-k2cY76Si3XW-pVPksIADxktmU/XRzTkcXbTxKh7u4q8CbRRA.webp?size=large"
---

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# Any ideas on why my bird of paradise leaf looks rusty? It’s one of…

_Posted by Ray on 2026-01-24_

Any ideas on why my bird of paradise leaf looks rusty? It’s one of the older leaves on the plant, none of the other leaves look like this.

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/xKuPLJdIFfrfZhsxh-k2cY76Si3XW-pVPksIADxktmU/XRzTkcXbTxKh7u4q8CbRRA.webp?size=large)

## 2 comments

### Madison commented on 2026-01-24

It could either be rust fungus, sunburn spots, or edemas from accidental overwatering. If you don’t see or feel any powdery stuff on the leaves, it’s probably not rust fungus. I don’t think it’s sunburn spots based on the way they show up on the leaf- but if that was the one leaf that was getting a lot of direct sunlight, that might be it. My educated guess is edemas. If it is edemas, they don’t look great but won’t hurt the plant in the long run; it just means you need to reduce your watering frequency. I like to wait until my bird of paradise is 75% dry before watering again.

#### Madison replied on 2026-01-24

If it is rust fungus, you’ll want to cut that leaf off and then treat the whole plant with a copper fungicide.

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