Natural pigmentation or possible virus?

[The Mutant]

My Phal. equestris 'Orange' has gotten these strange reddish colourations on its leaves. They've become more pronounced and at first I thought it was a natural pigmentation that appeared after it got some more light, but now I've started to worry a bit. The other thing that has made me worry is that it seems to be a bit of a slow grower, but it has finally started putting out a new leaf (a month after its 'Blue Lip' colleague which I got from the same seller).

What do you guys think?

[DavidCampen]

I will be interested in hearing what someone with much more experience than me has to say.

I notice red pigmentation on my Cattleyas and some other species when a new growth is getting a lot of light but I don't think I have ever noticed the few Phaelenopsis that I have showing red pigment splotches.

Also, the pattern of discoloration I see in your photos does not look like red pigmentation that I have seen in my Cattleya new growths.

But the pattern in your photos does not, to my very inexperienced eye, look like virus either.

So, by elimination, my wild and uneducated guess would be fungus or bacteria.

[The Mutant]

Thanks for your answer. I have some Phals that have gotten a red pigmentation due to the light levels, but as you point out, none of them have these "splotches" as this guy have. The leaves are firm and healthy looking except for this discolouration (and the mechanical damage caused by an unexpected flight down from the windowsill with some kitty-aid), so I really don't know what to make of it.

I also hope someone more experienced might have something to say about it.

[Orchidthief]

It is from the sun, pigment stains... eller whatt itt iss kallas on englisssss )))

[Leafmite]

Spidermite? Whitefly? Rust (the plant kind)?

[Leafmite]

Could this be a type of phal that has molted leaves (accidently labled?).
At first I thought it was insects (whitefly, mites) or plant rust, but it seems to be a pattern. I doubt it is a virus but I included these sites anyway. It is possibly a fungus, too. Hope this helps:

Two helpful virus sheets, one from Brisbane, the other from Taiwan:

http://www.icogo.org/images/Dr._Chin...id_Viruses.pdf

Orchid Virus

Two helpful orchid society sites:

Orchid Pests, Orchid Diseases

http://www.houstonorchidsociety.org/...ySueBottom.pdf

Cloud's orchid's:

Diagnosing Orchid Problems

[Wynn Dee13]

If these spots showed up since you have been growing it in stronger light then I think it is from the light.

[The Mutant]

Originally Posted by Orchidthief

It is from the sun, pigment stains... eller whatt itt iss kallas on englisssss )))

Haha, nice English there. Oh, then I can relax a bit and since Mr Orange decided to put out a new leaf (instead of only roots) I feel much better.

Originally Posted by Wynn Dee13

If these spots showed up since you have been growing it in stronger light then I think it is from the light.

I don't know what kind of light it was grown in before I got it, but it has definitely become more pronounced since moving here (I don't remember if it had any of these markings when I got actually), and only on the sides facing the light... I think we might have a winner here, I was just worried since it wasn't a uniform pigmentation.

[Wynn Dee13]

Originally Posted by The Mutant

Haha, nice English there. Oh, then I can relax a bit and since Mr Orange decided to put out a new leaf (instead of only roots) I feel much better.


I don't know what kind of light it was grown in before I got it, but it has definitely become more pronounced since moving here (I don't remember if it had any of these markings when I got actually), and only on the sides facing the light... I think we might have a winner here, I was just worried since it wasn't a uniform pigmentation.

I know what you mean. I wish it was easier to know if a plant has a virus or not. I hope in the future there will be test strips available in garden centers for a reasonable price. That would make things a lot easier!

[The Mutant]

Originally Posted by Wynn Dee13

I know what you mean. I wish it was easier to know if a plant has a virus or not. I hope in the future there will be test strips available in garden centers for a reasonable price. That would make things a lot easier!

Oh, that would be wonderful! Let's pray to whichever deity we believe in that this will happen in the future.