Is this Phal infected or......

[Slobo]

I have this Phal since last year when was in bloom. The flowers where approximately 3" wide, deep dark red/burgundy.
This spring the crown was blackened and dried up. So I pool the leaves out from the crown and treated the crown with cinnamon. After month or so the new shoots started to come out. At first there was only new areal root followed by, what I think is the new flower steam. At the end the new leaf start to appear.
All this was very encouraging until two weeks ago when I noticed some leaf splitting, some black spots on some leaves. On both sides. And one of the bottom leaves turned yellow and it is about to fall off. The other bottom leaf is also turning yellow.
I'm not to concerned with the yellowing leaves, as I think this is normal, but the black spots are worrisome.

The Phal was repotted a month ago into bark repotting substrate.

I really don't know what this black spots can be. Is this some kind of fungus or any other disease.

I would very much appreciate any suggestion and help in treating this problem.

I attached some photos to illustrate the problem.

Thanks for any help you may provide.

Slobo

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Don't worry about the leaf split. Not sure what causes this, but it will not harm the orchid.

The black spots don't seem to be infectious. It may have been cells that collapsed for some reason.

If more black spots show up, I'd treat it.

[tucker85]

I agree, the plant doesn't look like it has any major problems. I would cut off the yellow leaf.

[Slobo]

Philip and Tucker

Thanks for your replies. I noticed the black spots about 3 weeks ago. They didn't change shape or size ever since. It could be just as you said collapsed cels.

Yes I was thinking to cut the yellow leaf but I didn't want to touch it before I find what is the problem here. Anyway, if I cut it how close should I go to the main "trunk"?

Slobo

[Mira-Claude]

At this point the leaf will fall soon...
When a plant of mine get a leaf that color I just give it a little pull when I water. One day it just follows! LOL
But as some already knows here I hate cutting!

[Slobo]

Thanks for the response Mira.

[bballr4567]

I will leave yellow leaves as well. If they plant is still hanging onto them they are still drawing out the nutrients available in there. As long as its not harming the plant and is the lowest leaf, just leave them.

[Slobo]

Thanks Josh,

Yes the leaf is the lowest one. I was inspecting it just now and I think it's going to fall off if I touched it again. It is so close to it.

Slobo

[crazymonkie]

Looks more like lack of water than anything else. Not that severe of a lack of water, either.... just some divots in the leaves. Splitting, yellowing, and little dots like that are common with Phals if they're grown in a (for them) low humidity environment. They're pretty persnickety about their growing desires. Not so much about what they will grow in generally, just what they *prefer*

[Slobo]

Thanks Crazymonkie,

The plant is potted in a mix of bark, charcoal and perlite. It's being soaked in watering solution once a week for 15 min. The controlled RH humidity in the room is at 55%. Also, I mist the roots every morning, only the roots not the leaves.

I'm not so sure that the watering is the problem.

Slobo