Drooping leaves

[Brigadier]

Hello

I have a Phalaenopsis which is looking really healthy apart from the leaves. They seem to be drooping and have gone slightly wrinkly. Any idea what could be causing this? I don't give it any full sunlight at all and don't think I'm over-watering it either...

I'd appreciate any helpful comments! I've never had an orchid before so I'm new at this...

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

It could be over watering (dead roots), or under watering. I hope it is in a plastic pot so it will be easy to inspect the roots. If plastic, flex the pot to crack the roots free of the pot and pull out the root ball. Look for firm roots, color doesn't count uiless it is very black and only firm because it is petrified. This does happen occasionally.

If the roots look good, a few bad roots are OK, and hold the mix together, slip it back into the pot. Maybe you need to water more.

If the roots are good, but the mix just falls away, new mix would probably be a good idea. Remove any dead roots. A mix based on medium bark would probably give you the least trouble.

If the roots are mostly dead, repot.

If all the roots are dead, get some rooting hormone to apply to the base of the plant. My preference is Power Clone gel from a hydroponics store, which I use as a few drops every day until I see new root growth. Reapplication of other types might be good too. Sphag & Bag would probably be a good way to go until roots start (use search function), or put on top of damp mix and keep a clear plastic bag loosely over the plant, rewetting the mix from time to time, sort of like potting up and raising the local humidity, but you want to keep an eye on the base of the plant and maybe reapply rooting hormone. Cynthia, Prescott, AZ

[jerrymeola]

I find a great percentage of newly purchaed Phals do this.

It does not seem to have a specific cause. Usually they recover without my doing anything and the second year on they act like there was never a problem.

Recovery often means the plant grows new leaves and the plant discards the old leaves.