Causes of Short Stubby Round Leaves?

[Orchidreamer]

My phal that was imported early this summer has a new leaf that is only 1-1.25" wide and shorter at 3". I think it's still growing but I doubt it's going to ever be as large as the largest leaf (the largest leaf is 1.75" wide and 4" long). I don't know what they do when importing plants, but they probably lop off roots and stuff plants into a box for days and days. Really stressful.

My other phal had root rot back in 2008 and it has since recovered, but not completely. All the new leaves it's been producing are about 30% the size of the older leaves.

[Pete]

Intense light without correspondingly high humidity is a primary culprit. As an indoor grower under lights, I learned this the hard way. I had t-5 lights about 8 inches above the leaf canopy of my plants and maybe 50% humidity. The phals grew leaves that were a 1/3 the size of what a normal leaf would be for the plant, yet roots were very strong and healhty. I since removed the t-5s and now just use regular t-12 grow bulbs. Leaf growth is now normal.

Also, in my experience, imported phals with cut roots also fall to the "short leaf" syndrome, even in the "right" light. Future leaf growth will normalize once the phals establish a sufficient number of new roots.

[ezil]

Thanks Pete, that's good to know. Sometimes it's hard to keep the humidity high, especially in hot weather.