New Orchid with yellowing leaves

[ScarlettPP]

I purchased a Dendrobium Yellow Song 'Canary' on Friday. I put it on a humidity tray. It does not touch the water. I noticed the first yellow leaf on Sunday. There are more today. I am quite concerned. Felt the contents of the pot - it was quite dry. I watered it with 1/4 cup water today.

It was flown in from Hawaii on Thursday.

It was in a pot inside a pot with no drainage holes. I took the outer pot off. It was dry. Untied the spikes and let them drop. Then tied one back up loosely to make it appear more attractive.

It had one leaf with a black spot about half the size of a dime. I cut it off and got rid of it. It has many flowers. Many spikes (is that the correct term?) most with flowers or buds including 2 large ones without buds or leaves a couple inches tall and one very new spike that showed up this week end.

Some of the buds do have black spots on them. I don't believe that they should be there. The mature flowers don't have black spots.

Evening temps in 60's. Daytime temps in 70's.

It is indoors. We have light from the east and the north. It is on the west wall. Maybe it's not getting enough light? But would that show up so soon?

Looking for what I should do next.

[RebelCowgirl]

Hi ScarlettPP, welcome to the form. It you make 5 post then you can post pictures so the geeks well be able to better help you.

[Leafmite]

I think I've seen a beautiful dendrobium with this name that typically does lose its leaves each year. Hopefully someone else will know for certain.
Leafmite

[Fishmom]

Hello Scarlett, and welcome to the forum.

If you do a search for the name of your Dendrobium, you will find a thread devoted to a discussion of proper culture, and a link (in the 5th post) to another site that has detailed information about nobile dendrobiums. Here's the link:
Den. Yellow Song 'Canary'

You don't say what the potting medium is, but if there is no drainage, the plant is not likely to thrive. I'd repot as soon as possible, and if the plant is in spaghnum moss, I'd change it to a mix of bark, perlite and charcoal, or just medium-sized bark. Put it in a pot with plenty of drainage holes, so that the roots can get air as well as having water when you do that. You should water until it runs out the bottom.

Your description of "many spikes" is puzzling, since the flowers for this den. appear up and down the canes at the leaf nodes. Can you post a picture? It is true that this type of den. loses its leaves in the winter, so that may be what is happening. At any rate, I think you need to deal with the drainage issue ASAP.

[ScarlettPP]

I followed the link. It was very helpful. There are lots of terms that I need to study. Much describes what is happening to mine. It's a lot to cover for a newbie.

OK I called them spikes are they correctly called 'canes'?

Now I can't get back and look at your post. Guess I should have printed it first.

I was gone for 3 days came back and it was obviously stressed. Did something I'd read about - took it to the sink and ran water throught it for a couple minutes. I let it drain and then put it back on the humidity tray.

It looked much better the next morning. It was Saturday I'd had it for a week.

I don't know what it is planted in. I don't believe it is peat. It's very chunky. I would say bark and...? It's potted in a standard 4" plastic pot with drainage holes. I currently have the pot sitting on volcanic rocks in a plastic tray. It's a little wobbley I may have to put it in a bigger pot to stablize it. I'll reread the discussion of double pots in the link you gave me.

Most of the yellow leaves, 8, came off with a little tug today. There's still one. And now some of the buds are withering and drooping. I've picked a few of them off but it looks like several are nearing dropping.

This is my 3rd post. Two to go before I can post photos.

Are those roots wound around the top of the pot? When I checked the pot for dainage holes I saw that some also come out of the botton of the pot into the humidity tray.

Again, thank you