Phal Crown Rot

[ruthann]

I just recved a phal that just finished blooming. I noticed black at the crown. I was transplanting to s/h and the leaves fell off. Don't mean to sound stupid, but, does that mean the phal is a goner?

[snow]

yep

[kiki-do]

Hi Ruthann, It doesn't sound like you have anything left of the plant. No signs of life anywhere, huh?
So sorry! It's heartbreaking, but we all have had that happen from time to time.

[flhiker]

Hi, It is not necessarily a goner. I had one very similar and considered it dead but it put out a keiki on the old spike and after a couple months I cut the keiki off and now have a new plant.

[tuvoc]

Hi Ruthann. If the roots are still in good shape, give it another chance. I've had them put out new growth from the base of the old 'stem', where the leaves used to be.Good luck,

Kim

[Lorraine]

Hi Ruthann, Sorry about your chid.

If there is still a leaf or two you might get a keiki from it. Dump cinnamon in the hole where the rot is and leave it there. Just keep treating with the same schedule of watering it that you have been. Try to keep the crown dry. You may save it yet. The cinnamon will keep disease away. I went to Costco and bought a BIG container of it. It's a lot cheaper than the grocery store stuff and just as good.
Lorraine

[Ray]

Even if there are no leaves, all is not lost.

As Lorraine said, dump some cinnamon in the crown to dry it up and prevent further bacterial or fungal rot, keep it warm and humid, and you might get a side growth.

[ruthann]

Thanks for response all...gonna give it a try to get growth from it. Ruthann

[Daemos]

Thats the huge problem with chids. Monopodial growth. It makes them biautifull but when the crown rots. Growing stops for a long time. The good news about chids is that they act to this problem in a similar way like cacti do. As long as the roots are alive sidegrowth will comence a few weeks after the crown has been amputated.

If your roots are indeed fine I would say keep the poor guy and feed it until it restores