Phal leaves-Disease or ?

[GotHookedonOrchids]

Hello Orchid Board!

I am a new member and brand new to orchids. I would love your help on identifying my troubled phal. I purchased this orchid about 2 months ago along with another phal. One is doing fine but something is going on with the leaves on this one. I look forward to your advice. Thank you!

[silken]

It's hard to say for sure. But I would make sure it is isolated from the other one for now and that you don't touch it and then the healthy one without sanitizing your hands in between.

I have had Phals in the last few years that get some form of infection that spreads very easily to other Phals. It looks similar to your leaves, but I can't say for sure from the photos. It looks similar to cell collapse which can occur from a chill or being watered with very cold water. But I know mine didn't get this treatment and there seems to be no cure. I have been removing the infected leaves and using Physan in hopes it can get rid of it but I have also resorted to tossing a number of the worse ones.

It may be something completely different for you but I would just isolate it and use an anti bacterial/fungal treatment on a regular basis to see if it will clear up.

Others may have some other thoughts on it.

[OrchidLoverSA]

I agree, one of my phals does this, but it is not quite as bad. I isolated it for a while, but it didn't get any worse and so I put it back with my other orchids. That was about 6 months ago, and none of the orchids (phals included) have it yet. I can't think what might have caused it though.

My advice would be to chop off the worst bits just in case and then quarantine it for a couple of weeks, just to be safe.

[GotHookedonOrchids]

Thank you for your reply. I now have isolated it from my other orchids. I sure hope it does not spread. I have done a lot of reading on the care of orchids and have been very careful not to get water in the crown and use tepid water. If I lose just this one, I will feel lucky. Thank you again.

---------- Post added at 11:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:51 AM ----------

Mine also has not gotten any worse. Very puzzling?? I appreciate your comments.

[TyronSA]

I would agree with you guys on chopping it off and isolating it but just to be on a safer side. When you cut those infected leaves just put a little bit of cinnamon on the cut part of the leaf. Just throw some in the palm of your hand and pinch a bit with 2 fingers and apply it to the cut part. the cinnamon helps with preventing any other disease harming your plant. Please just make sure that if you apply it that you blow the cinnamon that fell onto your roots off. Cinnamon kills the root growing process.

[GotHookedonOrchids]

I will take your advice and cut off the diseased leaves and apply cinnamon. Thanks again!