Please help. brown spots on new cymbidiums

[ky1]

Hi I am new to this group and I'm already in trouble!!

Yesterday I purchased 2 cymbidiums. I was in a rush and was just happy to find them. When I got them home I realized they had dark brown/ black spots on the underneath of some leaves. The white with pink cymbidium also looked like it was going to drop all its unopened buds (it just dropped one) but it has the fewest spots. Then I also noticed a white fluffy cocoon like object also on the underneath of a leaf. Could anyone please tell me how I handle this?

I live in Toronto Canada.

Thank you,
Ky

[stonedragonfarms]

Hell Ky...
In the first picture it looks like you have a bit of scale on the leaf. I would treat this with either a fine spray of rubbing alcohol or one of the various insecticide sprays that are available on the market (I usually use Bayer brand sprays, but there are many). Are the "spots" on the surface of the leaves as well, or only on the bottom?

The "cocoon" I would simply scrape off and dispose of; alternatively, you may spray this with insecticide as well.

As for bud drop, what is your night time temperature like where the cymbidiums are at? If temps are above 55F or so overnight, you will often see bud loss at the tips of cymbidium spikes; open flowers will be "unaffected" (though they will not last as long as they would given cool night temps); developing buds will often be shed. Note: this does not hold for all cymbidiums, as a general rule, only for those which are considered standards...
Hope this helps, if you have any more questions, please share them with us
Adam

[ky1]

Thanks Adam,

I have just treated the scale so hopefully that's taken care of. The spots are only on the underneath of the leaves.

I live in Toronto Canada so it's very cool right now at night. I have them inside by a window but maybe I should open it a crack? I've only had them for 1 night so I don't think it should have affected it so quickly.

Thanks for your help

[let_it_grow]

I also live in Ontario Canada but i don't recommend opening the window. Its usually cool enough by the window to offer a cool night temp. You don't want a cool breeze with our Canadian winters it could kill the plant. I would take a look at the base of the leaves on the pseudobulb and check for scale there as well. The bugs will hide just under the media and eat away at the base of the leaves. You may also have a root rot issue. That would account for the entire pseudobulb dying at once. Try re-potting the plant and inspect the roots for any insects and rot. Cut the rotten ones off and treat them with peroxide at the cut end then repot it.

[ky1]

Thanks I'll try that.

Do you know anywhere close to toronto that sells cymbidiums? These are the only 2 I could find.

Also what makes you think that the entire pseudobulb dying at once? Is it because all the buds are dropping or from the picture?

Thanks for your help

[mjf45322]

Sorry I know this is off topic but I will be in Toronto next month. I used to buy alot of plants at Claregreen before they closed and bring them back to Ohio. Is there anyother places in and around Toronto that I should visit .

[let_it_grow]

No from the picture it looks like all the leaves are yellowing from the base. The buds dropping can be from stress, cold, and the critters. You can get scale in the flowers so be sure to pick up the dropped buds cause you dont want it to spread to the roots. Are the leaves green the rest of the way up? Is the bulb mushy? Sometimes cyms can just be yellow close to the bulb. You may notice a line close to the bottom of all the leaves almost like a perforated line and the colour of the leaf below the line can be different from the rest of the leaf. Do you know what i mean? If the yellow is only below that line you should be ok. As for dealers in the GTA... i did find an orchid nursery in Markham that was fantastic and if i could find that place again i would explode with joy and cry. It was sort of out of city limits and to be honest we found it when we were lost lol. All i can tell you is that it was on the corner of 2 highways and i don't recall any other business anywhere close. There was a big "orchids" sign and i think they sold pond supplies and koi as well. Probably doesn't help much eh lol. But if you find it... please let me know

[orchids3]

How hard is it for you to import orchids from the states?

[let_it_grow]

It costs way more cause we have to pay for the exchange and the extra shipping and lots of places wont even do it

[orchids3]

I think I would go into withdrawal if I didnt buy a new infusion of cymbidiums as new hybrids become available.
Good luck. By the way a lot of cymbidiums seem to spot a little. If the place they came from has very hard water or or they are overfertilized. Also a pest infestation may have been cured (you hope) and left behind some spotting.