Brown sludge on Zygopetalum leaves, turns into black spots
 

Hi,
My Zygopetalum has a brown sludge on new leaves and the older leaves have brown/black spots. I think this is the same disease. Someone please give me advice on the treatment. Thank you

Are you misting your plants?
Joann

No, I do not mist them. When I water I soak them for about 20 min. I also sprayed them with Physan and Neem oil once in a while. This problem was present before I ever sprayed them with the solutions. Thanks for the reply.

Zygo's are subject to black fungal spots on the leaves. This is a harmless fungus spotting and will not damage the plant. High humidity and good air circulation will help minimize the damage.

Thanks Cheryl. Should I isolate them so that they do not infect other orchids?

This type of spotting is normal on zygopetalums. No need to isolate them. I have some zygos that are doing this, but are perfectly healthy. I think it depends on the species/hybrid; some are more prone to spotting than others.

The spots to watch out for on zygos are brown, or reddish brown with yellow/clear halo's around their perimeter. They typically mean a much more serious problem, like a virus or bacterial infection.

How large is that pot you got it in?

That looks pretty big for something so small.

Zygopetalums like water, but they can still rot out.