Help! Will it still grow new leaves?

[Musika]

So this is one of the phals my Auntie gave me, because she was killing hers. I repotted this little guy, the roots looked great, but the middle part of where the leaves grow out of doesn't look good. I'm not sure it its burnt or mold.... but I cleaned it up and dried it really good. So is this a sit and wait game or is there more I can do for it?

[mayres]

Sit and wait is definately the correct operative phrase here. I have 1-2 plants like this now too. What we hope for is for the plant to send up a basal growth (new crown), which will end up being a whole new plant in a sense. Some call this a basal keiki (baby orchid) and some prefer to just label it as a new growth of the same plant - whatever you call it - with good culture the plant will eventually send it up in order to survive. Though I've once had a new growth come from a rotted out crown like you have there - the chances are not good. Keep the moisture away from the crown area during the mid to late period of the day to help prevent additional disease pressure on this plant - keeping it moist during cool conditions and stagnant air could potentially cause the area to "re-ignite" the disease organisms and finish off the plant for good. If you have some - it would be good to spray the area with physan 20 or even pour some hydrogen peroxide over the bad area. Some would dust with some cinammon too as a possible natural disease retardant.......Good luck!

[Hummer344]

Crown rot. The advice from Meyers is good but it will take a long time before it flowers again. If this were mine I would toss it.

[Musika]

Originally Posted by Hummer344

Crown rot. The advice from Meyers is good but it will take a long time before it flowers again. If this were mine I would toss it.

OMG TOSS IT! No way! Maybe if I had been growing orchids for years, but I have only been growing them a year and half. I think this is good experience for a newbie like me. And I only have 15 orchids.... I wont throw any out with such a small collection. LOL I like projects like this. The orchid my 91 year old great grandma almost killed is slowly getting better. Its been a touch and go for the last couple of months but new roots and new leaves make me happy. So I refuse to toss an orchid!!!

[Dendian]

It is crown rot -and they can survive, like Mike said.

However - I am a bit concerned about that leaf that goes down into the moss. If its under the moss rot can start there too - and wipe out the side of the stem - or rot the connections to the roots. Raise the plant up in the pot a bit to keep that leaf out of the moss - it will do much better that way.

[vanda_obsession]

Crown rot!! Bleck!! It's so sad when this happens... It'll take time to grow but if it has good roots it's not 'too far gone'. It should be ok with some TLC... just don't water in a way where any excess water can sit in there where the crown was because that will further promote rotting.