white streaks on encyclia leaves

[CJ Green]

Hi,

I'm wondering what's causing the leaves of my Encyclia radiata to lose color. Have any of you ever had this happen to your orchid leaves? I can't find anything about white leaves online. Could it be from low temperatures, or from too much sun?

[Roberta]

I think that they may just be getting more direct light than they want (especially if that light is accompanied by heat... could be the beginning of sunburn.) Feel the leaves when the sun hits them... if they feel warm to the touch, you have your answer.

[CJ Green]

Thanks--I'm having a hard time finding just the right amount of light for these guys! Will try to shade them a little and see what happens. They grow so slowly I may not know for a long time!

[Roberta]

As the sun shifts with the seasons, you'll probably have to keep adapting. I can take a couple of years to figure out the pattern.

[Ray]

Hard to say from those photos, but have you looked for mites - usually easier to see on the undersides of the leaves. The "splotchy" nature of the discoloration makes me think it's not light levels.

[CJ Green]

Hi--I just checked carefully and no mites (thank goodness!). The white areas are mostly long and streaky, almost like the leaves are variegated.