Release the roots! :)

[AuroraPhal]

Just wanted to share something that I figured out while tending my Phals. This may be a known fact, but I never read about this I noticed that when leaf gets yellow and fall off it leaves (leaf leaves ) some residue on crown. I never paid any attention to this until few days ago. When I slightly removed part of that residue, I noticed small root! That residue was blocking its growth. I removed most of residue, gently not to hurt crown. I did this for all my Phals and now I have a root outrage So, take this as a quick tip from me, I believe that your Phals will be grateful

[Optimist]

It could be this was a salt or mineral build up.

[AuroraPhal]

Nope, it is just like part of leaf that didn't fell off, but stayed attached on crown. I will try to explain with picture:

[james mickelso]

Well known to all phal growers but never explained to the masses before. Good thinking. The old attachment (sorry don't know the scientific name for it) can hide not only new roots but bugs of all kinds. But be careful when taking it off as it may leave a wound on the plant. Wounds are avenues for fungal/bacterial hooligans to invade. Actually the roots will push the old leaf attachment out of the way in due course. I always pull off the old sheaths on my cattleya and off my phals when they come off easily.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

That "residue" is called the petiole.

The petiole connects the plant's leaf to the stem.

When the leaf falls off the plant, it leaves behind the petioles. The petioles then dry up over time because the cells get old and die.

Oftentimes, the petiole will hide an orchid's new growth(s). One such new growth would be roots. Other growths include the spike, or a new shoot.

Petiole. Petiole. Petiole.

Discussed.

[james mickelso]

Thanks. You learn something new every day. Petiole.

[AuroraPhal]

Thanks everyone! Petioles? Never heard of them :eek: thank you for sharing knowledge it seems to me that petioles slowed or stopped growth of my roots.

Sent from my GT-S7500 using Tapatalk 2

[tarev]

Oh yeah, I see those petioles too in my Phals, leftover ends of the old leaves..I was trying to remove it, but feels so stiff..so I just let it be for now. It does not seem to bother my plants.

[AnonYMouse]

Petiole?

Someone in one of the backrooms of acedemia (probably tenured) had the job of naming this?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

The etymology of the word "petiole" as it relates to botany:

From the Latin word "petiolus"; meaning "little foot", or "stem".