Phalaenopsis Yellow Leaf (Opinion Needed)

[Josh]

Hello everyone,

I have this Phal for a few months, it was in bloom for a long time but now has lost all of its blooms. It has been putting out this new leaf and two new tiny roots. Now the leaf has grown quite a bit but for the last few days it's developing a yellowish color at the crown. I am wondering if this is normal or if something is wrong with the plant?

Your opinions are appreciated. I'll attach two photos for your better judgment.

Thanks!

[Ray]

Probably nothing, as the tissue itself look pristine. What is your feeding regimen?

[Josh]

I usually feed them with orchid fertilizer in a 15 day schedule. I just worried at this yellow color. I always dry them in the crown after watering, so crown rot would be unlikely. I hope it doesn't loose the leaf.

[psyc1210]

Keep an eye on it to see if it continues developing the yellow color on the leaf. I agree with Ray, the leaf itself looks great. Not sure what to say about the yellow color at this point in time.

[Brooke]

*Usually*, not always, it can mean the beginnings of crown rot. Anytime I see a strange yellow color either in the junction where the leaf meets the stem or in the crown, it is a bacterial issue.

If it was mine I would use either peroxide or Physan to see if an opportunistic bacteria is trying to set up shop.

Brooke

[Josh]

Is the usage of peroxide or Physan the best course of action at this point or should I wait more to see how the leaf develops?

If usage is advisable now, where can I purchase such products and how should I apply them to this Phal? Thanks for all the advices!

[Brooke]

The peroxide can be purchased at a drug store. It is the kind you use to clean a cut finger, scraped knee, etc. Pour part of the bottle over the center of the plant and keep your fingers crossed it isn't crown rot.

Brooke

[Lucija]

how fast is it changing coulor?

[Greybeard]

I, personally have not seen a Phal leaf turn yellow in this manner, my first fear would be crown rot but for now I would follow Brooke's advice, it may be a bacteria or fungus might being trying to get a foothold Good luck

[Josh]

But if it was crown rot, would the leaf look so healthy? Like another user mentioned above, it does look pristine.

[Greybeard]

I would not think so, crown rot is usually black in the crown, thats why it is hard to say what is the problem. Ray is right it is pristine also a reason for making this hard, so a wait and see stand point might be good. You will have to decide based on you plants health which route you feel is best for your plant, watch for new root growth etc.

[Josh]

It does have 2 new roots growing, still very tiny but growing. They appeared very recently. Which also leads me to believe that the plant is healthy, and why I found so strange the leaf developing the yellowish color near the crown.

[Lucija]

maybe you need to go easier to almost none on fertilizer???
hm,who knows...
If that colour change is slow,than just stop watering for a while and see what happens..
If that leaf is changing colour quickly, than is realy something wrong.
Last thing is to go check on roots....and cut all demaged or roten roots, change medium (with fresh bark or hydroton) and go easyer on watering... as I can see you have your phal in hydroton,whitch needs long time to dry out, and phals need phase to dry out and get moisture from air...
I would do that befor using some chemicals..but that's just me

[otis 226]

I have a large leaved Phal that was groing a new leaf, but the lower two were becoming increasingly floppy and started developing the looks of being really dried out. I had it planted in a funky mix of my own concoction...I like to experiment, (LECA/coir/some dolomite and a bit of charcoal and chopped spahg). When I checked the roots most all were dried out and dead. The media was very dry as well. So apparently being too careful not to overwater, I was letting it get too dry. I ended up removing all the dessicated roots, and repotting in damp sphag, which some of my Phals seem to do well in. I'm now misting it with liquid seaweed every other day and hoping it starts to grow well agian. What really confused me about this situation is the whole time this plant was losing roots and drying up, it continued to put out a healthy new leaf, which is now about 1/3 full size.
Wish you the best in getting your Phal green and happy again.
Tony

[Brooke]

There appears to be a misconception of what a Phal with crown rot will look like. The visible leaf portion looks fine, it is the center at the top of the stem has an infection and it kills the growing point which produces the next leaves.

Your roots can be top notch but if the growing point rots off, you will have to hope the plant will produce a basal keiki. It can also still produce a spike and bloom. The other leaves will continue to feed the roots and the plant can survive for a long time in this fashion, it just won't produce new leaves from the center.

Anytime you have yellowing of a leaf at the stem of a monopodial orchid, it can mean an opportunistic bacteria is occurring. Stopping it early can save that particular leaf before it penetrates into the stem.

Peroxide is something everyone should have on hand in their orchid first aid kit.

Brooke