Stem yellowed in two days. Leaves are healthy. What's up?

[midair55]

The last bloom was round March 2011. Since then two healthy leaves appeared with the latest appearing about 2 weeks ago. The entire stem (or is that the spike?) has turned yellow in the past two days. What do I do?

Thanks in advance.

[RosieC]

A yellow spike is not a problem. It's just finished flowering and some of them die back like that.

Of more concern to me is the lowest leaf which looks to have some markings that I don't like. I would be inclined to remove that leaf to stop it spreading, put cinnamon on the cut and use a sterile blade.

Otherwise your orchids looks healthy and I think it's just a case of letting it grow for a bit before it grows a new spike to flower again.

[midair55]

thanks for the reply. The bottom leaf has had those spots since shortly after purchasing the plant. I treated it with cinnamon which addressed the problem (i.e. it has not spread).

So I'll just wait and until the spike drys some more and cut it.

[silken]

Yes, just cut the flower stem off close to the bottom of it. It seems to me that the plant is in a much larger pot than it needs unless there are so many roots that they fill it. Too large a pot leads to root rot often.