Den. Enobi Purple Splash yellow leaves

[OrchidGroupie]

Hello everyone,

I purchased this Den. Enobi Purple Splash 3 days ago. It was healthy, 2 open blooms and a 3rd bloom opening slowly. Now there are yellowing leaves and there are 3 leaves that look like they are mottled with yellowing starting.

The room it's in is bright, temps are above 80 and humidity between 62-82. I kept it in the original potting and watered. Initially I placed it on a shelf with a T5 lamp hanging 2.5 feet above it and some other plants. When it starting yellowing, I thought too much light so I moved to a southwest win shaded by a curtain but near the previous location for its bright light. The room has 3 aquariums in it so the room stays humid. I have a small fan blowing nearby.

This is the 2nd time I bought this plant and it yellowed the same way. I can't seem to keep dens at all.

Any feedback is welcome.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Welcome to the board.

Questions. Did the last one you bought die?
What is it potted in?
How wet do you keep it?

I don't know how much help I will be as I don't have this type of orchid. Hopefully some one else will pop in. I think it needs to dry before you water again.

[rbarata]

This is a nobile type. I'm not sure but aren't the leaves supposed to fall when entering rest time?

[estación seca]

I think the other poster mis-typed. It's a Dendrobium phalaenopsis hybrid, and not a nobile type. They like to be evenly warm, watered and fertilized all year.

Shannon was asking about the last one dying because yellowing and leaf drop can be normal on this plant. She is hoping you didn't throw away the plant just because the leaf was yellowing.

You are not giving it too much light. It is good to water it as soon as it is almost dry, and not let it stay dry too long when flowering or making new growth. This could account for a yellowing and dropping leaf. Overwatering and root rot could also, but the plant doesn't look like you did that.

They normally drop older leaves from a cane when it is several years old. The old canes should be left attached to the plant, and not removed until they turn brown and dry up. The cane dropping leaves is a little too young to be doing this, which is why I suspect you haven't been watering it enough, or you've been keeping it too wet.

[rbarata]

I think the other poster mis-typed. It's a Dendrobium phalaenopsis hybrid, and not a nobile type.

You're right! My mistake... Sorry for misleading you, OG.

[OrchidGroupie]

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

Welcome to the board.

Questions. Did the last one you bought die?
What is it potted in?
How wet do you keep it?

I don't know how much help I will be as I don't have this type of orchid. Hopefully some one else will pop in. I think it needs to dry before you water again.

Thanks everybody for replying.

The last one did eventually die but I held onto it for a few months before realizing it was beyond help.

The plant is in tightly packed bark. The room is so warm, the media is already dry in the pot. I'll repot it once the blooms drop.

[Leafmite]

Some Phal-type Dendrobiums lose a few leaves every time you change their lighting, some are less picky. I had one that lost a few leaves when I moved it outside for the summer and a few more when I moved it back in for the winter, every year. It was something I accepted and, as it put out new growth every spring and bloomed most of the year, I did not worry about this.

They do like to be kept warm all year but they do not mind a little cooler night temperatures as long as it is above 50'F. They prefer to stay above 60'F, though and have warmer day temperatures.

I like red lava rock and an over-sized basket pot for these so that they do not need re-potted. Once they are established in the pot, many of them will be in bloom much of the year.

They should be just fine under the T5HO bulbs. I have just one right now and it spent the last cold season under the lights and was very happy. They prefer the same light as Cattleyas.

These like to be watered very well but to have plenty of air around the roots. You can satisfy this if the medium dries very quickly (even in the middle and bottom of the pot). That is why they are often sold in very small pots. Years ago, it was often recommended to mount them but the red lava rock/basket pot serves the same purpose by providing plenty of air to the roots.

You have a very beautiful Dendrobium there! Good luck with it!

[gngrhill]

I also noticed that you bought it only 3 days ago. Lots of plants react to a change in environment. From the nursery/greenhouse to a home which has different lighting and humidity etc. Hopefully it will do fine for you once it adapts.

[Lady Oscar]

I'm reading this thread with interest, since after about 3 months of doing its best impression of a silk plant my Den enobi purple splash has dropped a couple of its blooms and the lowest leaf on the blooming cane turned yellow and fell off. I didn't repot it when I bought it since it seemed to be in decent coarse bark, but it's possible that either it needs repotting or more water now that it's summer.

OrchidGroupie, I hope your new plant does OK!

[silken]

I am on my 2nd plant too. I think these go into shock a little easier than some. But warm temps, fairly bright light and not being too dry for too long should help. My current one is doing better and I re-potted it a few months ago. It responded well to some seaweed in the water just once or twice. It now has some new growths and new roots that have developed well. Maybe that would help.