Phragmipedium with dark brown patches on newer leaf growth

[Fishbox]

I've noticed one of my Phrags has some dark brown patches showing up on new growth. The healthy leaf tissue is fairly soft, and the brown spots are softer (a bit rot-like).

I'm not seeing pictures/descriptions of any particular infections that resemble this, so I'm currently thinking these might be areas where moisture stagnated on immature fragile leaves for too long. But I'm also a little inexperienced...

[Louis_W]

Do you notice how the damage is symetrical on the leaf? That indicates to me that something happened to the leaf when it was smaller and still folded closed. Could be physical damage or temerature problems but it doesnt seem to have continued or spread. if there is any extreme that happened a few weeks ago like a temperature spike or moving the plant into the sun, then i would try to prevent that from happening again, but otherwise i wouldnt worry about it. The leaf seems to be growing well now.

[Fishbox]

Originally Posted by Louis_W

Do you notice how the damage is symetrical on the leaf? That indicates to me that something happened to the leaf when it was smaller and still folded closed.

What a great observation and explanation!

The larger leaf that has the brown at the mid-point actually doesn't hold its shape anymore. The lower brown section that goes across the leaf has lost its ability to support the upper portion, so the leaf flops down at the mid-point.

As far as environmental stressors...

My temperature is pretty stable at around 65F.

The days have been getting pretty short lately, but I would expect chlorosis rather than soft brown damaged patches.

Humidity... I did have one night, maybe two? Where the humidifier ran out of water and humidity dropped to ~40% before I noticed in the morning. I've been keeping it at 60%, sometimes it will go as high as 70% if I'm boiling a pot of water or something.

I know Phrags can be sensitive sometimes. Could it have been from mist-feeding? I normally feed by watering, but had extra water leftover and used it to top-off the spray bottle.

Only other thing I can think is the humidifier puts out slightly cooler air, but that's not running constantly and it's been running for a couple months without any other problems.

[Louis_W]

Hmm, well i would call it a one time thing. All the nice green that has grown out under the brown looks like its all healthy.

I feel like I look at my plants constantly but I dont do much to them, then if i dont look at them for a week all kinds of things go wrong. Murpheys law i guess...

[estación seca]

Osmotic damage from fertilizer dribbled into the crown would look like this. Put fertilizer into the pot, don't mist it onto the plant.

Another thing causing this could be spider mites, scale or mealy bugs, but there would be more extensive damage.

[Fishbox]

Ok, that probably explains it then. Putting the fertilizer water in the spray bottle was a once-off to avoid tossing filtered water.

Relieved if it's that straightforward.