New plant, new problem - Black spots on Phal. flowers - Orchid Board

KathyKayserKonig · #1 07-09-2009, 12:40 AM

Hello all!
I went and purchased another Phalaenopsis that is actually blooming to make up for all the seedlings I am going to receive later on in the month. I picked one with a nice spike on it with three leaves and a second spike just coming out. I was well pleased with myself until just this morning when I noticed there are little black spots on one of the flowers. At first, I thought that maybe it was supposed to be there but tonight there are two more and it doesn't look like they should be there. Any ideas? What can I do to make these go away? I assume I'll probably have to do something that will ruin the flowers

but if that is what I have to do to save those that will bloom on the second spike then that is what I will do. Any thoughts?

I also thought I saw some smallish bugs on one of the flowers as well but can't be sure. Will find my magnifying glass tomorrow to check for sure. Could these be related to the black spots?

Thanks a million for everything everyone!

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #2 07-09-2009, 01:57 AM

Do you have a pic of this plant?

What kind of environment is it growing in? Temperature, humidity, lighting, air circulation, indoors, outdoors, sun room/greenhouse?

Did you have the air conditioning on?

Where did you get the plant? Home Depot, Lowes, specialty nursery?

How were the buds when you bought them?

What's it potted in?

Ray · #3 07-09-2009, 07:49 AM

Probably botrytis spot.

AOS | Botrytis

seamonkey · #4 07-09-2009, 10:49 AM

Better botrytis than scale.

KathyKayserKonig · #5 07-09-2009, 11:11 AM

It is in my house. The A/C is on. I bought it at Lowe's. (Couldn't afford anything else from anywhere else.) The buds are firm and slightly pink. I have been putting it in the window in full sun; this is where it was at Lowe's. It gets the sun but not the heat because the A/C is on. It is potted in largish bark with chunks of charcoal. I will try to post a picture here in a minute.

KathyKayserKonig · #6 07-09-2009, 12:09 PM

Attachment 33556

Attachment 33557

Attachment 33555

Here are some pictures. The white spots that you see on the flowers were black last night. I don't know why they are white today.....

What do you think?

Thank you so much!

Oh dear, they didn't add as well as I'd hoped. I hope you can see the spots...

jkofferdahl · #7 07-09-2009, 12:09 PM

I'd also side with Botrytis, which I thought of as soon as I saw the title of the thread. It's a fungus, and most likely settled on the flowers in the store/shop, where the flowers got droplets of water on them. Your best bet would be to snip off the infected flowers.

KathyKayserKonig · #8 07-10-2009, 10:38 AM

Thanks so much everyone!

Lovecats · #9 07-10-2009, 06:12 PM

Hello everyone. I had some phals with the same spots (or so it seems to me from the pictures) but in my case it wasn't Botrytis but parasites.
I had to isolate and treat them with a product. Quite immediately the little monsters (very little but harmful

) got out from the leaves. I don't know if it's the same with yours.

KathyKayserKonig · #10 07-10-2009, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lovecats

Hello everyone. I had some phals with the same spots (or so it seems to me from the pictures) but in my case it wasn't Botrytis but parasites.
I had to isolate and treat them with a product. Quite immediately the little monsters (very little but harmful

) got out from the leaves. I don't know if it's the same with yours.

Hey Lovecats, what did you apply? Thanks so much!