black stuff...

[vanda_obsession]

Heres some pics of this orchid that my dad gave me.. it blooms pretty yellow and pink flowers.. but I noticed a few weeks ago this weird black stuff on the leaves, and theres a texture to it, like where the black is is actually 'sunk in' when you feel the leaves. I've read some things on 'black rot' and it basically says once the plant has it, its a goner.. I noticed a new shoot coming up and it looked healthy then suddenly turned black.. so I immediately cut off that stalk and it has pretty much stopped spreading, but I know its still there... Anyone know what this gunk is and how to get rid of it? I have it separated from my other guys to keep it from spreading if it is contagious.

I have this 'Safer - endALL' spray.. (reading on the back of the label...) for ornamental trees and shrubs: kills aphids, including conifer aphids, beetles, including asian lady beetles. Caterpillars (gypsy, moth larvae, eastern and forest tent caterpillars) spider mites, box elder bugs, boxwood phyllids, earwigs, and japanese beetles.

This particular leaf looks the worst. Theres one other leaf that has one tiny 'stripe' on it..

[Ron]

Hi, it does look ugly, often these problem relate back to poor roots or poor drainage in the mix. What type of mix is it in.
It is most like too late for fungicide to do any good.
If it was my plant it would be straight into the bin, sorry but I do not keep problem plants in my collection.
At first I thought it may relate to sunburn but that often results in the plants leaves drying out were it was burnt!

[vanda_obsession]

no all my guys are in hydroton and under LED lights for about 4 months now. And then all of a sudden this one starts doing this. all my guys have horrible roots and are going through a slow recovering and most have done good. I have lost a few 'suddenly' and wasn't too sure what the issue was.. I had a onc. that just suddenly went downhill. I also lost a phal that jumped ship too... It's been a hard 6 months since moving, and having to adjust not having natural light in this apartment

[Ron]

no all my guys are in hydroton and under LED lights for about 4 months now. And then all of a sudden this one starts doing this. all my guys have horrible roots and are going through a slow recovering and most have done good.

I do not grow my plants that ways so I will step out of the way.

[orchids4me]

I'm no pro but it looks fungal or bacterial. I don't know if its a goner or not but get some physan 20 and try that.... The other stuff you mentioned isn't for this problem, that ones for pests.

[kmarch]

Save your spray, it sounds like it is for insects and this is not an insect problem. I've occasionally had this on cattleya leaves. It is some kind of fungal infection that causes cell collapse. On my cattleyas I sometimes used a fungicide and if it was bad enough on a leaf, I cut the leaf off. Your orchid looks like it is a cattleya of some kind, correct?

[vanda_obsession]

kmarch: I'm not too sure, this is why I have grown to dislike the 'better-gro' brand of orchids now because their tags are confusing. I took a picture of the tag hoping maybe someone would be able to figure what it is. Heres some pictures of the blooms it had when I got it, maybe that will help identify the little guy?

[Filb]

Yes your plant is a cattleya hybrid (Pot.=Potinara).
I saw similar damage on my cattleya that was originally diagnosed as sunburn.
However I think it was something fungal that was exacerbated by horticultural oil I had applied. I ended up removing the leaf and treating with cinnamon. Here is the thread: Large brown area on Cattleya leaf, help!.
Have you treated the leaves with anything recently?

[digitalgate]

it does look like chemical burn from oil or pesticides. Also you need to raise the humidity of your growing area. It is too dry. It is either the root has rotted or your plant need more water than usual.

[vanda_obsession]

No I sure haven't treated them with anything. I haven't done anything different, they get a weekly/weakly fertilizer, and they sit under the LED's since I have horrible natural sunlight here. It just kinda came on all of a sudden. Very puzzling! I will go ahead and cut off the two leaves that are showing those signs and treat the cut with cinnamon.. If anyone else has any other advice, I'm all ears.. To those who have posted, thank you very very much!