Moldy Phal leaves

[ccrow]

I obviously need an intervention... while grocery shopping today I found a small Phal that needed to come home with me. I looked at the roots, and they looked pretty good, but after I got it home and out of the plastic sleeve I saw that some of the leaves had mold on the underside. It didn't look like any of the pictures in the sticky link; really it looked to me like ordinary bluish-gray mold, as if it had just been too moist inside the sleeve. I wiped it off with alcohol, then washed the leaves with mild dish soap and rinsed thoroughly; then I put cinnamon on the undersides of the affected leaves. I will keep a close eye on it, but does anyone have any suggestions? Have any of you ever seen this? (Stupidly, I didn't take a picture first)

[Orchid Whisperer]

The mold on the underside of the leaves may be either juvenile scale insects or, less likely, mealybugs. Keep the new one far away from your other plants, orchid or otherwise, until you know for sure. If either of these insects is confirmed, don't delay, treat with a systemic insecticide quickly (such as acephate or imidacloprid), or discard the plant.

The only part of your description that has me hopeful that this is (was) mold is the color. Juvenile scale is more whitish and somewhat grainy. Mealies just look fuzzy and white.

I hope you are right (mold) and I'm wrong. Mold is much easier to fix.

[ccrow]

Yes, it's separated... but it was grayish to black on the paper towel, not white- like what would be on moldy fruit. I've had mealies, unfortunately, so I have an idea of what it looks like. I have my Bayer Rose & Flower standing by

[Leafmite]

Good luck with the new orchid! Hopefully, all will be fine with it.