[journorchid]

I have a well-established phal that until recently was in beautiful spike. I had had earlier mealybug problems but thought I had them licked. Then the blooms on one part of the bifurcated spike wilted quite rapidly. I assumed it was genetics, and that I had just purchased (from a very reputable grower) a fast (1-2-week wilter). Then this weekend I discovered two things:

1. The wilt area was totally consumed with mealybugs and scale. I hadn't noticed them because the mbugs were hiding on the blossoms, which are white, and I had never had scale before so never knew exactly how to keep an eye out. (I ended up just chopping off that half of the spike b/c there are no pests on the other half and I didn't want to risk further infestation.)

2. Most importantly, the bottom leaf on one side had turned totally yellow and very floppy seemingly overnight. I mean, it went from healthy to deader than a doornail. Since I am new to this, I imagined this might be a normal leaf dying situation, so I just left it there until it was floppy like overcooked pasta, then decided (based on scale-sucking suspicions) to cut it off and brush the cut point with physan. Now, to my horror, the next leaf up is doing exactly the same thing: Yellowing overnight, to the point of unsalvageable.

What the heck is this, and will it spread? I have been spraying the plant with a weak solution of physan and even included a couple of drops when I did a dunk-watering over the weekend.

Since the blooms, spike, and four reamaining leaves seem to be quite perky and fine (tho with a bit of splitting and browing at the tips) and I have decent root growth, I am assuming this yellowing deal is pest-related. Do I need an urgent repot? Sad to do when the baby is in spike like this, but I don't want to lose the plant.

I know my posts here might indicate that I have a special talent for killing orchids, but I can report that my onc. is doing OK despite earlier predictions, and that the really problematic onces (including one you'll see later today) were all big-box clearance rescues that were in poor shape when I got them. The one I'm writing on today is a different story -- a big, old plant grown by a real local nursury.

The problem is spreading so fast -- please help before it is too late.

Orchid love and many thanks,

Dan