'Curly' Leaves on a Miltonia

[Orchidementia]

I have several Miltonias; this one did not come with a helpful name tag so I don't know its full name, but it has non-pansy type blood-red 'spiky' flowers.

The original leaves - the ones that were growing when I bought it - flopped over in an arc. The new growth - and there is a lot of new growth - is vigorous, nicely colored but instead of just curving into a nice arc, grow into very loose spirals. There is no pleating - I do have another Milt. that was underwatered enough to grow two (just two!) pleated leaves, but even those leaves on that plant arc instead of twirl.

Is this just a fluke of plant genetics or is my curly-leaved Milt. trying to tell me it needs something? It was repotted a few months ago; it had become badly rootbound. It's grown noticeably larger in the new pot, and some of the leaves now require staking due to their size ... so it seems well, and I can't find anything about leaves curling like this. Thanks!

[Celcat]

Welcome to the Forum Orchidementia,

I am sure you will enjoy the forum.

I have never heard about a curly leave. If you could post a pic and precise your location, it will be easier to help you. If it was genetic, I would think that you would have noticed the curly leaves when you got/bought your plant (not just the new growth)
I am sure the other orchidgeeks will be more helpful

[articuno75]

Hi Orchidementia and welcome to the forum!

If you could please go into your user profile and update your location this will help fellow members when giving advice, as different locations = different advice.

I think that the twirly effect is something that your orchid is trying to tell you. Pics would be most helpful. I would love to see this because it sounds intriguing.

[Orchidementia]

Thanks - I'll try to get a picture posted soon. I've updated my profile; I'm in Silicon Valley (and so are the orchids!).

[Orchidementia]

Crappy pictures taken with an iPhone:

[BunnytheOrchid]

I don't have much experience with milts, but it doesn't look unhealthy to me...the one I have had leaves that fell over naturally, but those look rather stiff, and I thought stiff leaves were a good thing.....

[Orchidementia]

I am a Geek with Orchids, and a lucky one at that; my plants seem to thrive despite me. I have ... four or 5 Milts., pansy-types and spiky-flower types, and their leaves are firm, but not curly. The NOID Milt. is the only one that needs to have its leaves staked (so far; I've got a pansy-type that looks like I may have to learn how to split in a hurry that's getting Happy Leaf).

My orchid-expert friend says it looks fine, but not sure why the leaves would start twirling. If enough people say it looks okay, I'll start to believe it!

[patticake]

I think it looks o.k.- Mine stand up pretty straight, but yours looks healthy enough. Maybe a little more light? Where do you have it now?

[Orchidementia]

It's in a ... south, I believe, glass door. I tilt the vertical blinds during the day so the light is focused right on them. It's quite bright morning to about early afternoon; then it's moderately bright (not full sun, of course). They're getting light about 12 hours a day here now.

My red pansy milt:

[patticake]

Mine gets direct sun for about 2 hrs. in the afternoon. Of course I'm up in the north, so the intensity isn't that great (yet). I'm z-4 or 3 depending on the year. I have low humidity so I need to water everyday because of both factors. I have new growth, so I think it's happy. Good luck.

[articuno75]

Originally Posted by Orchidementia

Crappy pictures taken with an iPhone:

They look great to me

[Sharyn]

I had a paph with curly leaves. I suspected that it was a cultural problem and it took me awhile to figure out what was wrong. I ended up increasing humidity and giving it more light. The curling leaves never improved, but all new leaves developed properly and no more curls.

[Orchidementia]

I don't water every day but I do mist it (including any roots that have wandered above ground) many times a day. Our humidity here is rather low - about 40% - so is it safe to water more? It's in fine bark in a pot that has excellent drainage, so I don't think watering it more often would rot it, but since I did manage to nearly kill a paph watering it once a week (it was living in a humid bathroom then), and I nearly killed this one by probably overwatering so I'm a little (a lot) scared to try more watering.

So I guess what all this is nattering is about is: do you all think I should try watering twice a week (or perhaps more); moving it closer to the window or both - or something else?

For what it's worth, it's got a lot of nice, new growth - which makes me happy, since as I mentioned, about six months ago, it was nearly dead.

[made4engineering]

Too low humidity causes leaves to curl and crinkle and come out funny. It has to do with the surface of the new leaves being too dry to expand properly. Once new leaves are done growing crinkled, they stay crinkled... If you remember one thing, remember more watering does not not not make up for low humidity, because it does not increase the moisture on the surface of the leaf. Misting only increases the humidity for a very short time, so I dont even do that. Try a humidity tray or a humidifier...

[brookn]

Actually I have seen this, and it is funny. There is nothing wrong with your plant, but I surmise from the pics that you have been propping these leaves, and that is why they are doing it. My Mtdm. leaves kept flopping over on me so I thought I would help it out, and I propped them in the same way, and they started doing this. I took out all the props, and let it go. It's nothing to worry about, sometimes they just grow the way they want to grow. I find the more mature the leaves get, the more they want to grow their own directions. I have one leaf that has turned itself completely upside down, and has been that way almost since the day that I bought it, and mine just bloomed beautifully and is very healthy.

[Orchidementia]

Originally Posted by made4engineering

Too low humidity causes leaves to curl and crinkle and come out funny.

I know exactly what you are describing; my Robert Jackson 'Wild Thing' as two classically pleated leaves from being too dry (underwatered/low humidity). I remember to water it on schedule and moved it to the window over the kitchen sink and the new leaves are normal (and the two pleated leaves are just pleated at the top) and I think I may be getting a spike! I'll post a pic under a new thread to see if I'm right about what it may be doing.

The NoID (well, it was once ID'd but I lost the tag, duh) is nothing like I've seen in any orchid books on 'dumb things people to plants' but that doesn't mean it's not a humidity problem...

[Orchidementia]

Originally Posted by brookn

Actually I have seen this, and it is funny. There is nothing wrong with your plant, but I surmise from the pics that you have been propping these leaves, and that is why they are doing it.

If you take another look at my not-too-great pictures, the smaller, unpropped leaves are 'twirling' as well. The two staked ones are so tall and 'crisp' (like a fuchsia stem) that when unstaked, they risk damaging the bottom of the leaf stem. My real-life orchid expert friend - the one who convinced me that orchids are easy to grow - approved of the way I have them staked so I guess I did it okay...