Ali; Boy do I have you beat in the lets knock off or accidentally pull out the new growth on the orchid department! On a Odontocidium I was pulling out a dead sheath and took a new growth with it. It has two other new growths, but three is better. On a Encyclia I was again removing a old sheath and I knocked off a newly emerging growth. A month later I see two new growths (one coming up from the offended P-bulb. So you see I am really bad. I must learn to not spontaneously clean up an orchid just because it has dry, dead sheaths around it..........................The consolation is that I'm sure they'll grow back and who's to say that they don't decide they need to grow a little quicker to make up for the attack? Bruce I'm sorry about your Bird of Paradise, but I bet it comes back. From what I know of them there pretty tough plants and the odds are in your favor. AL