discolored stem/stalk

[ricja]

My orchid flowers have fell off and the stalk/stem is beginning to discolor from the top. The leaves and roots seem to be completely heathly...what's wrong with my orchid? Is it something that I can do to make it flower again? Should I cut off the discolored stem?

[fred]

ricja
welcome to the forum
I hope that you enjoy your stay here with us
How long has your orchid been flowering ?
What type of orchid do you have ?
It sounds like it to me that your orchid has finished flowering

Also it might be a good idea if you could update your Profile with your Location as we are people from all over the world.

To make your orchid flower again we need to know what orchid you do have so we can guide you with the right culture information.

I hope to hear from you soon

happy chatting

[sandra]

It sounds as if the flowers have lived out their life-spans...that's to be expected with all orchids, all plants, all flowers don't last forever. Depending on what kind of orchid you're referring to, most orchids' spikes will turn yellow while the last of the flowers have begun to die off. You should cut the spike down and yes, your plant will flower again providing you treat it well! The care of your orchid will depend on what kind of orchid it is, where you keep it (in/outdoors), where you (geographically) live. That's why it's important to update your profile so that the orchid gurus here will be able to assist you according to all of your conditions! A photo will help to indentify your plant and assist the gurus in checking to see if anything looks wrong or needs further attention.

[ricja]

Thanks for the info

I have 2 "Phal" orchids (one purple and one yellow) and live in upstate NY. My orchids are in my office, where they receive plenty of indirect sun light and it's not too cold. By looking at other pics on the site, my purple orchid's leaves are a little droopy (maybe sick?) but a new leaf is coming in which makes me think it's ok. The leaves and roots are very healthy on my yellow orchid but the stems for both are discolored. I will cut te stem as suggested, give some orchid fertilizer, and hope for the best

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Please be sure to use a sterilized tool to cut the old spikes off, and resterilize the tool before cutting the second spike. Don't want to transfer any hidden deseases that might possibly exist between the two plants.