Is this orchid just infected with a virus?

[Dub3]

Originally Posted by The Mutant

Well, it looks a lot like my Phal. Formosa Rose (points at picture). I also thought mine was virused, but was told that the "splash gene" in this particular hybrid, is very unstable and can lead to weird looking flowers like this.

I can't afford to test mine, so just to be on the safe side (just in case), I treat it with care and don't let it mix with the others. It seems healthy so far (I've had it for almost 1½ years) and loves to flower. As a matter of fact, it's working on its third spike since I got it home.

I just finished having 10 of my plants tested by Critter Creek Labs and the total cost is only $5.00 each for 1-9, $4.50 each for 10 or more. results are back within 10-12 days. You just cut a leaf sample 1-2 inchs long put in freezer bag and mail to them. They do all the work. Be sure to use new single edge blade for each cut. Of the 10 samples I sent in 4 were infected.

[The Mutant]

Originally Posted by Dub3

I just finished having 10 of my plants tested by Critter Creek Labs and the total cost is only $5.00 each for 1-9, $4.50 each for 10 or more. results are back within 10-12 days. You just cut a leaf sample 1-2 inchs long put in freezer bag and mail to them. They do all the work. Be sure to use new single edge blade for each cut. Of the 10 samples I sent in 4 were infected.

Would be quite expensive to send in samples to Critter Creek Labs since I live in Sweden.

I've contacted Agdia's European distributor, however. Thinking about getting some virus test kits. They're very expensive, but it might be worth saving myself from future headaches

The Phal. Formosa Rose is no more by the way. It started develop some veeeeeery suspicious looking spots on its newest leaf, so into the garbage it went. I would in other words like to retract my previous statement and recommend the OP to toss the suspicious looking Phal...

[lauraeli]

Originally Posted by The Mutant

Would be quite expensive to send in samples to Critter Creek Labs since I live in Sweden.

I've contacted Agdia's European distributor, however. Thinking about getting some virus test kits. They're very expensive, but it might be worth saving myself from future headaches

The Phal. Formosa Rose is no more by the way. It started develop some veeeeeery suspicious looking spots on its newest leaf, so into the garbage it went. I would in other words like to retract my previous statement and recommend the OP to toss the suspicious looking Phal...

Your Formosa Rose was not just off-color; the flowers were also crinkled in spots which seems like a red flag to me.

[Jenn4a]

Originally Posted by lauraeli

Your Formosa Rose was not just off-color; the flowers were also crinkled in spots which seems like a red flag to me.

Crinkled? I didn't know that could point to virus

[RJSquirrel]

Japanese they call it "Hanafuke"/crinkled flower..eventually the crinkling will turn the flower almost transparent, a see thru flower..at 1st it was thought to be mechanical damage but further investigation showed virus that was making its presence known in the flowers and not the leaf.

'ORSV' is the cause of crinkled flower syndrome.

[Jenn4a]

Originally Posted by RJSquirrel

Japanese they call it "Hanafuke"/crinkled flower..eventually the crinkling will turn the flower almost transparent, a see thru flower..at 1st it was thought to be mechanical damage but further investigation showed virus that was making its presence known in the flowers and not the leaf.

'ORSV' is the cause of crinkled flower syndrome.

that's scary. I saw crinkled edges on my phal but I think it's from hitting the buds against the setup's sides.
They aren't translucent though, they're slightly brown.

Is this virus seen in other types, or mainly just Phals?

[Dub3]

ORSV is a virus that is very common in many orchids. I found it in a couple of my Cattleya.

RJSquirrel, do you have any photos of the crinkled bloom from a virus as opposed to the ruffled bloom that many orchids are hybirdized for?

[The Mutant]

Originally Posted by Dub3

Mutant,
Sorry about that I'm not accustom to addressing a international audience.

You have nothing to apologize for, it happens.

Originally Posted by lauraeli

Your Formosa Rose was not just off-color; the flowers were also crinkled in spots which seems like a red flag to me.

Now, with more knowledge under my belt, I would say that the flowers on my Formosa Rose where a textbook example of a Phal with ORSV. They were deformed, crinkled, had patches of warty texture, and severe colour breaks.

Luckily it seems ORSV doesn't spread via physical contact like CymMV does, and I did keep it isolated since I didn't trust it was healthy.

Originally Posted by Jenn4a

that's scary. I saw crinkled edges on my phal but I think it's from hitting the buds against the setup's sides.
They aren't translucent though, they're slightly brown.

Is this virus seen in other types, or mainly just Phals?

I'll upload pictures of my Formosa Rose. If the flowers look anything like this, toss it. They were never translucent by the way.