Psychops Leaf Tip Die Back. Help!

[jrodpad]

I noticed this problem on Sunday - the newest leaf of my favorite psychopsis has serious leaf tip die back, and it's getting worse! The dead area is thin and papery. What should I do? Should I cut off the offending part of the leaf to slow or stop the spread? What's the cause? The orchid is otherwise healthy. It's pumping out bright, white new roots and growing it's two new leaves well (other than the die back). Any one seen this before?

Please help!

-J

[camille1585]

Since it's getting worse I would remove the rotting part, taking an inch of healthy leaf with it. Hopefully that will be the end of it. As for the cause, I haven't had Psychopsis long enough to know if this is common with them. How is the air flow where it grows? Are you noticing anything on the other leaves?

[jrodpad]

There's a fan running 12 hours a day for this group of plants so the air flow is really good. The other leaves seem unaffected and the other nearby orchids also seem unaffected. A one inch margin of healthy tissue makes sense to me. Thanks Camille.

-J

[Paul Mc]

I really wish I could help you out as well, but I have only had mine for maybe 6 months. While what appeared to be the oldest leaf died off recently, there is new growth as well. I'm wondering if it could be a natural leaf drop? IDK, just thowing it out there as a thought.

[jrodpad]

Thanks Paul. I really wish that was the answer - but in an odd twist - it's the newest leaf that has the problem. The leaf is so new that it doesn't even have a fully formed p-bulb yet.

I'm going to perform the "surgery" this weekend. I figure that I might as well repot at the same time as the media is kind of cruddy. I figure as long as it's going to suffer the trauma of cutting back the newest leaf, I might as well let it suffer through being repotted too. Psychopsises are notorious for sulking after being repotted. It really is too bad as this is one of my most prolific bloomers.

I really wish I understood why the die back was happening. If I can't find the cause, I worry that other leaves will become affected.

- J

[camille1585]

Cutting off part of the leaf isn't that much of a trauma!

As for the cause, random infections do happen. Or maybe it was touching a cold window?