Having problems with my Promenea

[NatalieS]

Originally Posted by camille1585

Time to call it quits with the home remedies, none are helping my poor beloved Propetalum. I got home from work to find 5 more yellowing leaves. So time to go buy fungicide and hope that's the cure. Unfortunately I have to wait until tomorrow to buy it, I got home from work today a bit before 6, and the shops all close at 6.....

Are you still losing leaves? I hope you can save it!

[camille1585]

Just an update, the Promenea seems cured, there have not been yellow leaves in over 2 weeks. But I beloved Propelatum on the other hand.... it seems like there is no way to stop the disease. I'm pulling off a yellowing leaf every few days, and there's starting to be not much left to it. I don't know what to do anymore!!!

[NatalieS]

I've been reading about a fungal disease called fusarium wilt which can affect orchids and causes the leaves of the plant to yellow and drop. To positively identify it, you can make a cut in the rhizome and you should be able to see a purplish band near the outer layers. If you can cut away the affected part, the plant might still survive if you treat with a systemic fungicide. Apparently it can take up to a year for this type of disease to kill the plant.

[camille1585]

I thought of that, but there's no way that I'm hacking a part of the plant off to find out. All of the bulbs (including new ones) have had yellowing leaves, and the bulbs themselves remain healthy.

I'm going to france next week, and I'm going to bring back some fungicides I left there that I can't find here. There are 2 that if mixed together it creates a synergisitic effect and also develops anti bacterial properties.

[The Mutant]

I'll keep my fingers crossed that the mixed fungicide will work for you Camille!

Stupid question; as long as the bulbs and roots are okay, isn't there a chance for recovery? I don't know anything about this genus so I'm probably completely wrong...

[camille1585]

Not necessarily. If it really is fusarium, it's hopelessly incurable. The disease mainly sits in the rhizome, and there can be very few symptoms others than the plant slowly going downhill.
But I decided that this weekend I'm going to divide the plant since it seems that there is an old bulb+ 2 new growths that were unaffected. I'll separate them, and check the rhizome for fusarium while I'm at it. I hope I see nothing, then at least I have a chance of saving it.
Strangely though, my little Promenea has been symptom free for over 3 weeks now!

[Discus]

yay for the Promenaea, but shame about the propetalum. You'll have to stalk other recipients down for a division if yours croaks

[camille1585]

The trouble is that I only know ONE other person who has the Propetalum (because I also got it at the show and gave it to her) but she's since quit orchids, and sold off her collection.

[NatalieS]

Originally Posted by camille1585

Not necessarily. If it really is fusarium, it's hopelessly incurable. The disease mainly sits in the rhizome, and there can be very few symptoms others than the plant slowly going downhill.
But I decided that this weekend I'm going to divide the plant since it seems that there is an old bulb+ 2 new growths that were unaffected. I'll separate them, and check the rhizome for fusarium while I'm at it. I hope I see nothing, then at least I have a chance of saving it.
Strangely though, my little Promenea has been symptom free for over 3 weeks now!

Fingers-crossed, thumb's held!

[camille1585]

Just an update, the disease SEEMS to be under control, though there's not much left of the plant at this point. I'm trying not to be overly optimistic, since it's happened before that there are no new infected leaves for nearly a week. The extended dry period while I was home for Easter seems to have helped, and I've sprayed it with copper sulfate.
But still, I don't want to jinx it by having written this, so I'm going to knock on wood!