Phal - to remove a leaf or to not remove..

[KatyaB]

I have a phal with 4 leaves. One is in the process of growing. The oldest and significantly largest leaf has some burn on it and some strange bumps. This has not affected any of the other leaves. The reason the other leaves are smaller is because the plant went through root rot and is recovering, so the leaves are growing smaller. The oldest leaf is ugly due to the burn (oops, my fault...) but has shown no signs of wanting to drop off. Should I remove it? Will it help the other leaves grow bigger or will that make it worse?

[Royal]

As long as it's not diseased and spreading to the rest of the plant, leave it on. The more leaves the faster it will recover.

[quiltergal]

I agree. It's providing much needed energy to a recovering plant. I'd leave it on regardless of how ugly it is.

[RosieC]

I agree as well.

I only remove leaves if they come away easily with a gently tug. If not then the plant wants to keep the leaf and I think it knows best. As has been said above the leaf will provide energy to the plant.

Only time I would cut off a leaf is if it had disease that was spreading and I wanted to stop it spreading to the rest of the plant.

[KatyaB]

Thank you! I won't remove it. I think it has a scaley type insect though. I've read that stressed phals are suseptable to them. But like I've said, it hasn't spread. Only on that one leaf...