Phalaenopsis with strange leaves and growth pattern - Orchid Board

Giggles33s · #1 07-17-2017, 04:57 AM

Hi all! I have been searching the Web for something to help settle my nerves about this plant. It was old to me as a phalaenopsis, but the leaves are so odd. It has beautiful blooms and though the plant looked to be in poor shape I thought I would take it. Even though it is still in Bloom I repotted from the solid mass (I couldn't even get a tooth pick in there if I tried) of spagnum moss to 100% bark and a layer of moss on top. The roots were all rotten through but I managed to save about 4 good ones. I water once I see the medium is dry and or the roots are silvery. I fertilise every two weeks with an orchid fertiliser. (The pots are placed in a bucket of water to prevent the core from getting wet.) We are in winter currently and the humidity is low. The temperature in my house ranges from 10 to 22 degrees in one day. The orchid never gets direct sunlight but rather a bright window. I have quarantined this one away from my other orchids in the mean time.

My question is whether or not this orchid is healthy. The leaves are so thick and twisted. They are thicker than any of my other Phals, and any movement makes the twisted leaves snap. They look veiny and leathery even though they are rigid and plump. Finally the new twisted leaves seems to have grown out the side of the vertical leaf?! I tried to get a decent photo of it but couldn't quite manage. A final question. The vertical leaf seems to have been damaged, I'm hoping it's machanical, but it looked like it was spreading for a while.. I could have imagined it because I'm looking for issues with this one. I have just been cleaning daily with swabs dipped in hydrogen peroxide 3% on the area. It seems to have stopped getting bigger. I don't see any bugs or pests in the medium or on the plant though? No red flecks when wiping the leaves either. No animals can get near the plant.
I hope I provided enough info. Thank you all in advance for the input!

estación seca · #2 07-18-2017, 02:01 AM

A few things... First, 10C / 50F is just too low for Phals, except on a rare overnight basis, unless the following day is much warmer than 22C / 72 F. Is there any way you can keep it warmer? Cold Phals often just rot and die during the winter. But, I don't think cold is this one's problem.

It has not been drawing sufficient water from the roots. That is probably because the roots were bad before you bought it. That accounts for the leaf wrinkles. With your good care now newer leaves should not be wrinkled.

But, the malformed leaves make me think there's still another problem. I wonder whether some kind of mite or thrips is attacking developing leaves. Perhaps other orchid growers near you can offer advice? Is there an orchid society nearby? The plant reminds me of an Aloe attacked by the Aloe mite.

Giggles33s · #3 07-18-2017, 06:54 AM

Thank you for the feedback. I realise now I was quoting the outside temperature highs and lows. Inside we are about 10 degrees warmer

sorry about that.

I will definitely try get in touch with an orchid society of some sort. Wouldn't want to go back to the same orchid farm. They assured me that there was nothing wrong with the plant. The other Phal I bought at the same time seems to be fine (though had the same rotted root system. But at least I could save about 10 good roots and a few good aerial roots on that one). They grow their orchids together in the same sort of grow tunnel/house. So I'm hoping that the plant is fine otherwise they would have quarantined it from the rest... key word being hoping!

Also going to read up on the aloe mite. We do have many aloes in the area.
Thanks again!