Ascocentrum black roots

[Kattycake]

I have what I assume to be an ascocentrum orchid, although I have not managed to ID it. All of my others are doing great but the roots are having problems on this one. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. I am guessing I need to get rid of the basket. I have tried peroxide. I used cinnamon on the places that I removed roots. Plus I have tried an orchid fertilizer with an anti-fungal. The pictures have one from when it was healthy and then the rest are the roots now. Thanks to much. Its spreading and needs help.

[Ray]

It's hard to diagnose from a photo, but what I see is a plant that is simply being grown too dry. There are a lot of damaged roots, but some look reasonably OK.

Never - I repeat - never put cinnamon powder on roots, unless it's just to seal a broken or cut end. The powder is a pretty good fungicide/bactericide, but it is also a tremendous desiccant.

[Kattycake]

I just realized that it did not upload the images when I posted this for some reason. I went back and fixed it so there are the rest of the pictures there now. My concern is the black area around the pot that is spreading in spots down the root. I only used cinnamon applied with a q-tip on the places where a few of the roots broke off at the basket and I used it to seal them. I did NOT just dust the roots entirely. Hopefully that was the correct approach with that.

[estación seca]

First, welcome!

The cinnamon plus peroxide likely damaged the roots even more. Think of the roots as the plant's mouth. Imagine putting cinnamon powder or a swig of peroxide in your mouth.

Vandas need lots and lots of water, and your plant looks dessicated.

[Ray]

...and the black stuff is probably a fungus growing on dead roots.

[Gage]

Originally Posted by Kattycake

I have what I assume to be an ascocentrum orchid, although I have not managed to ID it. All of my others are doing great but the roots are having problems on this one. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. I am guessing I need to get rid of the basket. I have tried peroxide. I used cinnamon on the places that I removed roots. Plus I have tried an orchid fertilizer with an anti-fungal. The pictures have one from when it was healthy and then the rest are the roots now. Thanks to much. Its spreading and needs help.

Based on the blooms, it looks like you have Rhynchostylis coelestis. The black on the outside of some of the roots looks like dried algae or mold, which won't hurt anything. The roots that have collapsed are showing tell tale signs of fusarium (at least the way fusarium affects vandas). This is likely from either too little light, not enough air circulation, or both. At this point it is important to not only increase light and air circulation, but also make sure it is getting fertilized at least weekly. If vandas are not given the food and light needed to grow well, infection will take the upper hand and spread quickly through the plant. Your plant still looks healthy like you've caught it early, which is great. Good luck!

Gage