Phal light question?

[Phal grower]

Hi all!

Just had a quick question about this phalaenopsis. I grow under lights and all of my other phals are growing new leaves that get progressively bigger. However, this phal seems to be getting smaller leaves as time goes by. It is a purplish color where all my others are green as you'll see by the picture.(sorry bout the dropplets as I just watered it). Other than that it seems healthy. So, does anyone know if it should get more or less light than the green phals? Or, if you have another idea??? Thankyou.

[zxyqu]

Well, given the really purple tones, it looks like you are nearing the level of too much light. Some phals can take more light than others, but this much toning is indicative that you should back off on the light a bit. Any idea what phal this is? It's otherwise pretty healthy, just move it further away, and see if it slowly losses it's "sunscreen" pigment.

[Phal grower]

Thanks for the reply. It was that color when I got it, and I have sunburned some plants, but this seems the natural color for the phal, so I'm puzzled? I don't know if you can tell from the pic but it does have some natural mottling. It was a courious color so I bought it. Don't know the name.

[Eyebabe]

I continue to be surprised at the low level of light phals will do very will in.

[Call_Me_Bob]

is it possible its just a smaller plant genetically? that could be reason for the smaller leaves. i

also read that sometimes if plants are getting alot of light, they get smaller leaves, because they dont need larger leaves to get enough energy. idk how acurate that is though.

i would reduce the light a bit, and then see what happens. the leaves look nice and firm though.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by help

i also read that sometimes if plants are getting alot of light, they get smaller leaves, because they dont need larger leaves to get enough energy. idk how acurate that is though.

I think you're partially correct. In high light (but still within their range of comfortable) the leaves usually will get narrower, but they should be the same length as the others. I think that if they start getting smaller overall when they are stressed by excessive light.


I don't know any Phals that are naturally purple, but given that the leaves are getting smaller and smaller, I think that the plant is severely stressed from high light at this point. It could be that you have a Phal that for some reason just can't tolerate light very well.
I'd have to double check, but I think that the 'sunscreen' pigments synthesize at the expense of chlorophyll, which would explain the poor growth. Try backing it away from the light a while, and if that new leaf grows out greener then that was the problem.

Otherwise you just have an abnormally purple Phal.

[Merlyn]

The P. stuartiana is a mottled purple color naturally. I don't know if the mottled purple color comes thru in crosses.

[Junebug]

Hmmm. This one has me puzzled. That mottling looks like a natural characteristic of the plant and although the leaves look a little undersized they're still plump and turgid. The uppermost leaf looks new which would account for the smaller size, but it exhibits a lighter color and a more pronounced pattern. To me, the improved color/pattern of that young leaf indicates a recent improvement of lighting conditions.

When I look at the photo my first concern is for the health of the roots. How long as it been since you checked them? If the roots are going bad/rotting the plant might not be getting enough nutrients, thus the darker appearance of the leaves might be due to a vitamin or mineral difficiency. Your plant could be surviving on it's own reserves resulting in the gradual decline of leaf size.

I'm no expert at all but when growing phals it's been my experience that they can take more sunlight than you would typically expect. Gradual introduction is the key to growing them in brighter light. Mine are grown in the shadehouse on mid level behind the vandas and next to the dendrobiums. The phal leaves are only partially shaded from the direct rays of mid to late afternoon sunlight. They've never turned purple like cattleyas do from over exposure. Instead, the more exposed areas turn a lighter shade of green. A truly overexposed spot or sunburned area will loose pigment followed by spots of necrosis or, if severe, loss of the entire leaf. From my observations I've noted that at higher light levels the leaves have grown far longer and fatter than they ever were when I grew them as mature plants in low lit conditions.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Junebug

When I look at the photo my first concern is for the health of the roots. How long as it been since you checked them? If the roots are going bad/rotting the plant might not be getting enough nutrients, thus the darker appearance of the leaves might be due to a vitamin or mineral difficiency. Your plant could be surviving on it's own reserves resulting in the gradual decline of leaf size.

Thank you for bringing that up, I was so focused on light being the issue that I didn't consider deficiencies. It could very well be an explanation, as I know that a deficiency in phosphorus causes leaves to become smaller, and also develop a purple coloring (though I've never seen it that extreme). But in that case it's not really a question of amounts/size of roots, but of fertilizer and pH.

Matt- How often, how much and with what are you fertilizing? With what sort of water? How are the roots looking? I saw some of your earlier threads were you were looking for help with other phals that were growing smallish leaves.

[glengary54]

Has anyone considered that there very well may be Doritis in the background of this plant which would account for the purplish color and the mottling, especially when exposed to higher light levels. I think the thinkness and the turgidity of the leaves also points to a Doritis influence.