Blc. Waianae Leopard - Yellowing / Browning Bulbs and Leaves

[alexharisiadis]

I've had this Blc. family orchid since 2015, and it's always been quite healthy and even rebloomed for me the last couple of years.

However, this year, something's up. First of all, it started to grow a new pbulb and leaves earlier this per it's normal growing schedule, but then it slowed down and stopped, producing the stunted pbulb / leaf combo seen in the 3rd picture

More concerning is that in the last 4-6 weeks, the oldest bulbs and leaves have started to yellow and then dry out and fall off. Currently, 3 of them have dried up and a 4th is on its way.

This plant has looked healthier before, but now it appears as though something's up. The question is...what? Would it benefit from removing the old pbulbs repotting with fresh media, and then receiving a healthy spray of physan? All advice appreciated!

[SaraJean]

Well, that doesn’t look too good. When was the last time it was repotted? Has anything changed in it’s growing conditions/environment when this started to happen?

I’m not sure spraying it with Physan will do anything, I would think something is up with the root system with how dehydrated the overall plant looks.

[alexharisiadis]

Originally Posted by SaraJean

Well, that doesn’t look too good. When was the last time it was repotted? Has anything changed in it’s growing conditions/environment when this started to happen?

I’m not sure spraying it with Physan will do anything, I would think something is up with the root system with how dehydrated the overall plant looks.

Ahh, the potting mix might be the culprit now that you mention it. I haven’t repotted it in a few years, and there have been no changes to the growing conditions and environment. It has been in the same spot with the same culture for the last several blooming cycles.

Is an urgent repotting needed, or should I do something like a sphag and bag first?

[Ray]

I'll bet the potting medium has become toxic (from mineral and waste build-up) and/or suffocating, and the root system is a mess, at best, or gone.

Whether sphag-and-bag is necessary depends upon the condition of the plant and your growing conditions.

[SaraJean]

Originally Posted by alexharisiadis

Ahh, the potting mix might be the culprit now that you mention it. I haven’t repotted it in a few years, and there have been no changes to the growing conditions and environment. It has been in the same spot with the same culture for the last several blooming cycles.

Is an urgent repotting needed, or should I do something like a sphag and bag first?

Yes to all of what Ray said.

I would definitely repot. For me, sphag-n-bag depends on if there are any good roots at all or if there are any new growths starting. If there are either of those, I would just trim off the obvious dead pseudobulbs (dry, hollow, squishy, bends easily... really dead, dead pbulbs. if they are still solid or the base is good, leave them in case they want to make a new lead) give it a few good long soaks in kelpmax, and repot in fresh bark and an appropriately sized pot. If there are no new leads or no healthy roots, I might try a few soaks of kelpmax and the sphag-n-bag or just place it on top of a small layer of sphag that is in the bottom of a pot. My climate is pretty darn humid so tenting or bagging an orchid isn’t always necessary. Either way, I would definitely try to keep it as humid as possible to slow down water loss until it recovers with some new roots and new growths

[alexharisiadis]

Originally Posted by SaraJean

Yes to all of what Ray said.

I would definitely repot. For me, sphag-n-bag depends on if there are any good roots at all or if there are any new growths starting. If there are either of those, I would just trim off the obvious dead pseudobulbs (dry, hollow, squishy, bends easily... really dead, dead pbulbs. if they are still solid or the base is good, leave them in case they want to make a new lead) give it a few good long soaks in kelpmax, and repot in fresh bark and an appropriately sized pot. If there are no new leads or no healthy roots, I might try a few soaks of kelpmax and the sphag-n-bag or just place it on top of a small layer of sphag that is in the bottom of a pot. My climate is pretty darn humid so tenting or bagging an orchid isn’t always necessary. Either way, I would definitely try to keep it as humid as possible to slow down water loss until it recovers with some new roots and new growths

Unfortunately, I don't have kelpmax, but I did unpot this morning and, indeed, the root system was trashed and the potting mix was broken down and useless.

I trimmed off the dead canes and roots, and repotted using the bag of Imperial Cattleya Mix I got from repotme.com the other day. I'm hoping that the healthy roots that the plant still *does* have will respond to the fresh mix and stimulate the rest of the plant.

[alexharisiadis]

Update — in the event that folks are interested, after trimming the dead roots, an emergency repotting, the loss of one more old bulb, and normal watering and feeding, I’m happy to report the plant is recovering and has sent up a new pbulb (seen in the attached photo)!

All in all, a lesson to keep tabs on the status of the potting mix.

[Lynn in Michigan]

good save