HELP! My whole orchid leaves fell off!! - Orchid Board

manna01 · #1 01-12-2013, 06:50 AM

Hi All!

Was wondering if any orchid experts are able to help me.

My 6 years old orchid plant's leaves ALL fell off its pot today. It almost looks like it has been decapitated?

At the end of where the leaves fell off I can see that there is this black colour marking.

Not sure what to do and if my orchid is dead? I am going to keep the pot with the roots for a couple of weeks anyway and see if any new leaves will grow? I have also placed the leaves that has dropped off in a water bowl - hoping for a miracle obviously.

I have attached a picture of what I am talking about - I am hoping someone is able to provide me with any pointers?

Many thanks.

Rgds,
Marisa

tucker85 · #2 01-12-2013, 08:02 AM

Unfortunately it's not worth it to try an save this plant. It looks like it was probably crown rot.

manna01 · #3 01-12-2013, 09:03 AM

Thanks for looking into this for me.

Did I kill my now dead orchid plant? What can I do to ensure that my other orchids are not going to have the same fate?

tucker85 · #4 01-12-2013, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manna01

Thanks for looking into this for me.

Did I kill my now dead orchid plant? What can I do to ensure that my other orchids are not going to have the same fate?

We've all killed our share of orchids. Crown rot is usually caused by water sitting in the crown of the plant in between the leaves. Try to water the medium that the orchid is planted in without getting water in the crown of the plant. Also if the phal starts to grow sideways or leans of to the side instead of straight up, let it do that so that water can't sit in the crown. Phals actually grow with the leaves pointing down in their natural habitat.

manna01 · #5 01-12-2013, 10:07 AM

Thanks Tucker85! Very informative.

So do you think I should just bin the 'decapitated' leaves as well as the remains of the roots ie. no hope for resurrection?

tucker85 · #6 01-12-2013, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manna01

Thanks Tucker85! Very informative.

So do you think I should just bin the 'decapitated' leaves as well as the remains of the roots ie. no hope for resurrection?

That's what I would do.

escualida · #7 01-13-2013, 02:46 AM

You have a LOT of good roots there so you can try to see if you can get it to grow a new leaf, it might not happen but I've seen people do it. You just have to make sure that the roots are getting enough light in order to perform the photosynthesis that the leaves would have been doing.

Movnhorses · #8 01-13-2013, 11:34 AM

I would also try what escualida said. It is worth a shot- can't hurt it. Good luck.

Miri the Wildmage · #9 01-13-2013, 11:39 AM

Yeah, grow it in a clear pot by a south facing window, and water it regularly(But not too regularly) with a high potash and nitrogen fertiliser at half the recommended strength, and if you're lucky, within six months it will grow new leaves.

RosieC · #10 01-14-2013, 09:55 AM

Were those roots out of the pot like that anyway, or have you removed them.

I agree with others that it looks like crown rot. Personally unless you are really attached the plant I would start again with a new one as trying to get it to grow again from the roots might be difficult. However having said that, I've tried to save ones like this before.

It's possible that it can grow again from the base if the roots are healthy, but it doesn't always happen.

If those roots grew that way, out of the pot, it's possible the medium is compacted and staying to wet/not allowing the roots in the pot to breath. That is especially likely if you've not repotted it in the 6 years you've had it. We re-pot orchids not to increase pot size, but to refresh the medium so that it does not become to compacted as Phals like air around their roots. Sometimes if the roots in the pot are not getting the air it needs it will put out a LOT of arial roots. Arial roots happen anyway, but it can sometimes be a sign of a problem in the pot, especially if it puts out as many as yours seems to have.

If the pant were still healthy I would recommend repotting and putting SOME of the arial roots (if that's what they are) in the medium. However I'm not sure whether it's best to avoid disturbing it too much in this condition. I've not had success saving one that's gone this far so maybe others can advise on that.