Why can't I grow this Zygopetalum?

[DenmanNJ]

I don't know what it is, but I have this Zygopetalum that for whatever reason is not thriving. I've Googled my fingers off trying to figure out what these orchids need and am convinced there is a secret .......does anyone know because this plant has odd marks on the leaves and just don't look healthy to me.

[estación seca]

Some Zygos are very cool growing, and others like intermediate conditions. Leaves suffer if it's too warm or humidity is too low.

[Dusty Ol' Man]

Originally Posted by DenmanNJ

I don't know what it is, but I have this Zygopetalum that for whatever reason is not thriving. I've Googled my fingers off trying to figure out what these orchids need and am convinced there is a secret .......does anyone know because this plant has odd marks on the leaves and just don't look healthy to me.

Pictures would help.

[DenmanNJ]

I have this Zygopetalum in my home (No Greenhouse) and would like to talk to someone who also grows Zygopetalum in their home.

[DenmanNJ]

Originally Posted by Dusty Ol' Man

Pictures would help.

Here are photo's of my Zygopetalum.

[Shadeflower]

I wish I knew the secret too Denman, if you do figure it out let us know, pretty much what I've been trying to figure out for the past 3 years.

[DenmanNJ]

Well, I may have an answer -- I just finished watching a video on YouTube on Zygopetalum. It appears these black spots are caused by a lack of Air circulation. Zygo's can't tolerate "still air". The other issue is they are fungal spots, so you have to use a Fungicide spray on the leaves.

[Shadeflower]

Denman, yes they are fungal spores. Fungal spores reproduce when they have enough moisture and they settle all over, on bark, on dead roots and on leaves - if the orchid is stressed.
If you keep the spores dry then they cannot reproduce so I've never bothered with a fungicide, if you can eliminate and dry out the fungal spores then new growth should be unaffected in future.

But the only way to remove the spores from your environment is to throw out all the old media, you need to remove any dead roots as those are prime growing spots, then rinse the plant well and repot into fresh media. Maybe a fungicide would work and be easier but you should still replace old substrate from the shop imo as if you don't you will most certainly introduce a host of pests including thrips, snails, aphids, spider mites and mealybugs.

I religiously repot and still managed to get all the above apart from thrips. Touch wood the only pest I haven't had this year but repotting really cuts down on the fungal spores.

If you are familiar with orchid seed germination techniques you will know it is all about sterilizing the seeds and the germination media or the seedlings start rotting very easily.

Now an adult orchid is more resilient but apart from overwatering I believe the orchids I have lost have been orchids that had an active infection when I bought them.

Very often I lose roots (can even take up to a year) but generally I try to avoid losing roots. If one loses roots every year the orchid will waste energy re-growing them every year instead of using that energy to flower so the less one can lose roots the better. The reason I so often lose roots on new purchases is because the roots have been bent and have a break, then bark dust and moss fluff settles in these cracks. What happens when bark or moss degrades? It causes rot. So that is another reason to repot a new purchase, to rinse out the roots thoroughly, very rarely do you get an orchid with media that will last you more than a year. And if the roots got damaged in transport (think mailman tossing the parcel) then that can easily start an infection.
So many reasons to repot, not just to get rid of the black spots from your growing environment.

[rbarata]

Some photos show what seems to be bacterial or edema but before jumping in conclusions that may lead you wrong, there's some missing info:

Which Zigo?
Environment, especially RH and watering regimen.
Type of medium
Pot material and size

[JScott]

There are some people who manage to grow Zygos in the home, but for the most part, due to the high humidity and cool temperature requirements, they generally just don't make good houseplants.

I know you can often find them at grocery stores or home improvement stores, but those plants are typically expected to be enjoyed while currently in bloom, and then discarded so you can buy a new one, which is why you often see plants for sale which are not suitable for the climate in which you live. If you're going to toss it after the blooms are done, it doesn't matter if you can't provide the conditions it needs.