Phalanopsis with single drooping leaf problem

[Drtaylor83]

This is my first orchid. Ive had my phal for about a year. Its on its second growth cycle since i have had it. My phal seems to be healthy but the newest leaf keeps drooping. The leaf is healthy looking and firm and I can prop it up with a stake and it will stay up for a day after the stake is removed and then start to fall again. Is this normal?

[MrHappyRotter]

The floppy leaves are just the plant trying to do what comes naturally. If you want the plant to grow upright, stake the leaf and leave it staked until it's done growing. The leaves have a tendency to "set" once they've matured and hardened off.

The typical upright growing habit you see in cultured phals is actually pretty unnatural for many of the underlying species. They often cling to the sides of trees with their leaves & crown hanging downwards.

Take a look at a google image search of in situ plants and you'll see what I'm talking about: https://www.google.com/search?q=phal...2uWAXn&dpr=0.9

[Drtaylor83]

Thanks for the reply. I feel better knowing it's not sick and will allow it to grow naturally.

[MrHappyRotter]

Originally Posted by Drtaylor83

Thanks for the reply. I feel better knowing it's not sick and will allow it to grow naturally.

You may still want to post some foliage photos, just in case. I assume your plant is healthy, and that there are no other issues it's dealing with. But, if that's not the case, we might be able to tell from the photos.

For instance, it wouldn't be completely unreasonable to think that the floppy leaves would be caused from the plant getting too little water, or from having its roots damaged.

In either situation, there'd be other indications of problems most likely. For instance, the lower leaves might turn yellow and fall off at an accelerated rate, and the surviving leaves might be wrinkly and droopier.

[Drtaylor83]

Here are 2 pictures of the leaf in question.

[turock]

Judging by that picture, I think your plant is healthy and just growing funny, perhaps twisting towards the light, or trying to orient itself more naturally, as HappyRotter suggested.

I see several healthy roots, and the rest of the leaves look firm and a healthy color. Pretty sure this is nothing to worry about.

I have two phals with similar strange leaves. One has normal leaves, except for one that flopped over onto itself, and one plant has a leaf that did a 180 degree twist! I think these eccentricities add personality

[estación seca]

It's good not to move Phals with relation to the light when they're growing a new leaf.