Bryan, In Los Angeles the foliage would wither on its own and then can easily be cut off when totally dry. I don't know if it is a detriment to have foliage removed before natural senescence is complete. In my experience this species always blooms in summer atop new growth that emerges in late spring. Floppy foliage is most likely due to insufficient light intensity. Foliage on my plants in Honolulu was a bit floppy and I attribute this to the fact that full sun in Honolulu doesn't burn light sensitive plant leaves as extensively as the full sun in Los Angeles does. It is a different sort of sunlight - in some ways less intense and in other ways more intense (maybe having to do with ambient humidity, air movement and latitude). Perhaps other PBS members from the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. who have had success with *Sinningia tubiflora* could chime in with their tips as I have always had the impression that their climate is comparable to that of some parts of England. Best luck blooming your plant this year. Jacob