Causes of Short Stubby Round Leaves?

[zxyqu]

Hopefully you know what I'm talking about, but I'm also posting a photo. It reminds me of an aborted leaf, like the plant started to throw a new leaf then decided... maybe not. I find it happens most often with species and primary crosses, so I'm posting it here. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had any hard evidence it's caused by this or that? As far as I know, when they happen to me, there doesn't seem to be a glaring reason, but who knows. Maybe they're trying for special treatment, or upset I'm not paying enough attention...

[Bud]

humidity problems ...did you move it from its original position? was it too cold or too hot? its like a bud blast but in this case its a leaf...it got its moisture back so it grew on in a smaller way...try repotting it in a different medium(lava rock, coco chip, charcoal and perlite) and water it every other day (in winter only weekly)and fertilizer it once a week...and let it stay put in a place you choose for it to remain constant with its temp and humidity...

[silken]

As far as I know with phals the newest leaf should be the largest, so if it isn't it has had some sort of setback. Possibly one mentioned by Bud, or it doesn't have good roots to produce good growth.

The first phal seems to be over-potted in my opinion. This can lead to root rot. the 2nd one appears to have recovered from whatever it was that caused the deformed leaf.

[ezil]

Bud has pointed out the main problems. I have something similar going on now. My neighbor received a phal at Easter, tightly packed in sphagnum moss inside a container without draining holes. She passed it on to me in June and the leaves were limp and winkled. It has grown a few new roots and more coming. The 1st leaf is tiny (I did expect that) and the new one forming is going to be way bigger. Should it throw out spike before it has fully recovered, I intend to cut if off. I'd rather have a healthy plant.

[Becca]

I would also think the smaller leaf size would be related to the amount of light it is receiving in addition to all that has been mentioned previously.

[Bud]

Becca is right...correct light is important...
Ezil...if the plant have gathered enough energy from producing roots and leaves...then and only then it will spike and bloom for you. No need to interfere with the plant...it knows ... it will not bloom if its still weak. The main reason why it will spike is: it wants to reproduce and make babies...it gathers energy to do just that...now if you cut the spike because you thought it is not healthy enough...then it lost one cycle of life

[camille1585]

Other people have posted about this in the past, and it seems that the cause is extreme stress of some kind. One person had phals putting out small leaves when the GH was kept too cool for them.

It can be from not enough light as well. Is the slight is only slightly too low it usually leads to very wide leaves (to maximize photosynthesis in low light conditons), but still the same size as the others. If the light is really too low the plant has no way to feed itself (need light for the sugar conversions) and has no energy for growth.

[Jayfar]

Related to all that, I recall reading once that the length versus width of phal leaves relate to whether they are getting sufficient light or not, but I can't remember whether long narrow leaves indicate not enough light or vice versa. Anyone know?

[camille1585]

Whether in low light(not insufficient light though!) or high light, the leaf length stays the same. But in low light the leaves will be wider to have a greater surface area to make up for less light. And in high light the leaves tend to be narrower since they photosynthesize better. No need to waste energy making extra leaf surface if it is not needed.

I have seen this on my own plants. When I was a student my orchids spent the school year in my dorm, which gets northeast light. And in the summer they would come home with me to france were they stayed in a south window. The leaves that grew over the summer were narrower than the ones growing in my low light room. Funny to see alternating leaf shapes on some of the phals!

[ezil]

That must have been quite the sight. I had a few phals that grew smaller leaves in winter. If it was a really cold one, the leaves would be really small. Since we moved, that has not happened anymore.