Strange "dots" on Phalaenopsis leave - Orchid Board

Anthony · #1 07-24-2009, 05:52 AM

Recently I've spotted these strange "dots" on a new Phal. leave, could it be a virus?

At the moment this one is in quarantaine in the shed outside (facing the east morning sun, growing lots of new roots) as I don't want to take any risc.

Zoi2 · #2 07-24-2009, 10:33 PM

Could they be scale? Have you tried wiping them off with rubbing alcohol?
Joann

Anthony · #3 07-25-2009, 08:17 AM

Hi Joann, it's not scale. It's also impossible to wipe it off, it's on the leaf itself.

I've taken some other pictures, the plant looks quite healthy, the new leaves are good, the old ones are a bit wrinkled. The oldest ones have strange spots on them too altough it could be caused by the sun.

The strange dots on the new leaf are strange, the leaf is also a bit thinner as you can see more light through.

Blueszz · #4 07-25-2009, 10:07 AM

Are these dots raised, or do they look like pits? In case the leafs are pitted with a brown/black center it could be bacterial or a fungus too. Do these dots feel soft/mushy?

Anthony · #5 07-25-2009, 12:09 PM

It is a small pitt with a white/brown dot in the middle.
I've found a small green raised dot on an old leaf too.

Zoi2 · #6 07-25-2009, 09:20 PM

Hi Anthony, I don't know what it is. When you find out, please post it.

Blueszz · #7 07-26-2009, 07:26 AM

Raised dots can be 'blisters'. Hard to say if that's the case without seeing it. Blisters can occur when there is excess of water in colder weather, for instance when the plant gets watered late in the evening when temperatures drop. I saw it happen during my s/h experiment.

About the pitted spot. Recently I had a plant with a black pit and it had the same yellow margins around the pit as I could see in one of your pictures. I still don't know what it was, but after watching it for a week I could see it was getting larger. I cutted a part from the leaf, to prevent spreading, as it was on the newest leaf. I treated the wounds on that leaf with with cinnamon. Problem seems solved now, but I don't know what caused it. You might want to remove the pitted dots to save the plant. Use clean tools and don't use them afterwards on other plants without desinfecting them. Ideally you want to desinfect your tools after eacht cut you make, even when you only have to do surgery on one plant.

Nicole

Anthony · #8 07-26-2009, 08:28 AM

Hi Nicole, I've taken pictures of the raised dot on the old leaf. It does look a bit the same as the pits.

I'll cut off a part of the leaf and treat the wound with cinnamon.

My best guess would be that it's a wound caused by some kind of insect that drills a small hole in the leaf which then infects.

learning2letgo · #9 07-26-2009, 09:04 AM

Your leaves looks slightly wrinkly to me which makes me wonder if your phal is in too large a pot? I've gathered from my own experience that until a plant establishes a great number of roots that it needs to be confined to a smaller pot.

Also, if you're worried about something wrong with your orchid (virus, etc.), perhaps you could douse the plant with some hydrogen peroxide just as a precaution. I had one phal that the velamen on the roots looked haggard but not rotted - I used a peroxide treatment on the plant and it seemed to perk back up almost overnight. Best of luck in whatever the issue may be with your 'chid.

Anthony · #10 07-26-2009, 09:26 AM

Hi

This phal was repotted 2/3 months ago since he was coming out of his old pot (12cm). The new pot is one size up (15cm).

The new leaves look healthy (not including those dots) and he's growing 8+ new roots, inside the pot are signs (new green tips) of new roots too. The photo of the wrinkled leaf is the second oldest leaf which could be the cause why it's wrinkled. The oldest leaf is already yellow so will fall off soon.