Cell collapse - phalaenopsis

[ClassyK]

Hello,

I got a new phalaenopsis the other week, it was in bloom and a hybrid I haven't seen before. It was in moss and the container was much too small so I repotted it in bark. At first it was doing great but I walked in last night and saw the top leaf fell off. The crown was nice and green but I noticed the leaf under at the base was just mush. It was not ridged and floppy. I ended up taking it off because it was clearly going to continue and wanted to save the rest of the plant. Within 10 hours the leaf blow started to deteriorate in the same way and I have no idea why. All my orchids are under a grow light at the same level and no others are having issues. It's driving me crazy trying to figure out what is happening. Does anyone have any ideas? I attached pictures of the leaf that deteriorated today, I forgot to take pictures last night unfortunately.

[Roberta]

First, Welcome!
Hiding under that leaf was a case of old crown rot (crown is dried up) It looks like that has been there for awhile... it wasn't anything that you did. If it is any consolation, I had one very similar that had the same problem. Plants get pushed to bloom, and they get sold when they aren't healthy. Alas, there are vendors who sell such plants on the assumption that people just want the flowers and will toss the plant like a Christmas poinsettia. That's a really nice flower - there has been quite a bit of breeding for that big lip that looks like the petals. (A peloric flower is one where the lip pattern shows in the petals, here the petal pattern shows in the lip... reverse-peloric?)

[Davey]

I can see calling it reverse-pelorism. Nice how the pink stripes show on the sepals.

And, Welcome! Sorry to hear about the crown rot.

[ClassyK]

Thank you! That does raise another question though. Yesterday when the fist leaf fell off the center looked healthy (or at least I thought), it wasn't until after the first leaf fell off and I removed the other that it began to discolor. I first thought of crown rot but the look of it made me think it wasn't since it was green. It did seem pretty wet but also have never experienced a leaf just pop off before so don't really have a gauge for normal after that. Can crown rot appear green at first as it's deteriorating and discolor after there is enough damage for the leaves to start dying and the crown to be exposed?

Side note: the orchid is a Chi Yueh Four Peace hybrid. 🙂

[Roberta]

I have seen Phals look "normal" and then the crown and attached leaves just pop off. Looking closely at the second photo, there is some wrinkling, like maybe there was some sort of fungal infection within the leaf. But yeah, I have seen this sort of thing. Most disappointing when it happens! Enjoy the flower while it lasts...

[ClassyK]

I really appreciate you answering my questions. Sucks that I lost this one, but I'm glad I learned more then I knew a few hours ago.