What the heck is this?

[BGGraham1]

Hello everyone. I have a question about a bloom issue on my Blc. Mari's Song 'Carmela' today.

Can anyone tell me what went wrong here? The first bloom looks pretty nice, but the second one opened yesterday and looks weird!

[otis 226]

Could it be water damage, Brigitte? Or perhaps post traumatic shock from travel to CA from HI?
Tony

[BGGraham1]

Originally Posted by otis 226

Could it be water damage, Brigitte? Or perhaps post traumatic shock from travel to CA from HI?
Tony

Not sure, Tony. Here is the first bloom - it appears to have come through okay

[koshki]

It almost looks like there's something in the center of those spots. Have you checked for scale?

[BGGraham1]

Originally Posted by koshki

It almost looks like there's something in the center of those spots. Have you checked for scale?

I'll check when I get home from work. Thanks, Katherine!

[otis 226]

It sure is a really beautiful bloom, Brigitte. I'm hoping its mechanical damage and not buggers.
Best,
Tony

[BGGraham1]

No bugs... And the petals on the second bloom don't have any color in them like the first one. Weird.

[orchids4me]

Is it like they are melting in those spots ?? Are they growing ? Spreading? A shot in the dark here bit I'm sondering if its bacterial .... Curious what others have to say as I've not yet run into this issure (knock on wood) before.

[Brooke]

In the last two pictures I see some *dots* and some of them dots have moved in the second picture. You could have thrips which love hot and dry weather. Thrips suck the moisture out of blooms and they really love the purple-ish color for some reason.

Brooke

[otis 226]

If Brooke is correct, Brigitte, thrips can move really fast and are fairly difficult to see. They sucked the life out of an Slc I'd purchased in bud a while back, before I knew what was happening.
Tony

[BGGraham1]

Thanks, Brooke. Now, the last two pics were of the bloom that is ok. I'm out here looking at it now, and there was a little dust in the column/ lip area from my crazy husband blowing off the patio. I don't see any of that same damage to that first bloom.
The second bloom, which looked almost white yesterday now has a tinge of color on the petals. No more of those clear, sucked-out spots than before.
Also, our weather here, until this week has been cool (mid to high 60's - low 70's) for this time of year and relatively moist. Waking up to wet cars, wet grass, etc. Would thrips be an issue in those conditions? I've never heard of a thrip before joining this forum. Our big nemesis is whiteflies.

[benauld]

Given the pattern of the markings my best guesses would be either some kind of crush injury whilst the bud was developing, possibly damage from an insect trying to oviposit into the closed bud maybe (just for example), or some kind of defensive/allergic reaction to a chemical it didn't like.

Regards,
Ben.

[BGGraham1]

Originally Posted by benauld

Given the pattern of the markings my best guesses would be either some kind of crush injury whilst the bud was developing, possibly damage from an insect trying to oviposit into the closed bud maybe (just for example), or some kind of defensive/allergic reaction to a chemical it didn't like.

Regards,
Ben.

That makes sense...although the only thing I use right now that could be considered "chemical" is seaweed extract. The crush injury is entirely possible, since it fell over a couple times when I had it in a plastic pot.

[Shannara]

If it is thrips Brigette you could try using the thrip traps I purchased online. I was getting terrible bloom damage from those tiny monsters. They can fly and are very hard to get rid of. The sticky traps caught hundred of them and were very cheap to buy. I was very pleased with them.

PM me if you want to try them and I will send you a web link.

Good luck!

Shann~

[Demeter]

Can orchids get spider mites?

[BGGraham1]

Originally Posted by Demeter

Can orchids get spider mites?

Absolutely!!

[1joyceh]

Welcome to the forum Demeter
Unfortunately orchids can get infested by any and all insects other plant
can be affected by

[benauld]

Originally Posted by BGGraham1

...the only thing I use right now that could be considered "chemical" is seaweed extract.

I was thinking more along the lines of those "household" type products that you might not necessarily think of, that could hypothetically have made their way onto the flower or developing bud. For example, perfumes, antiperspirants, washing detergents, caffeine-based beverages, solvents from paints or glues... the list is pretty much endless (and potentially scary if you think about it too much)!

In any case, I'd just keep a close eye on that particular flower and at the first sign of "spreading" of any of the markings, I'd be inclined to remove it just in case it's caused by nothing that has been suggested so far...

Regards,
Ben.

[BGGraham1]

Originally Posted by benauld

I was thinking more along the lines of those "household" type products that you might not necessarily think of, that could hypothetically have made their way onto the flower or developing bud. For example, perfumes, antiperspirants, washing detergents, caffeine-based beverages, solvents from paints or glues... the list is pretty much endless (and potentially scary if you think about it too much)!

In any case, I'd just keep a close eye on that particular flower and at the first sign of "spreading" of any of the markings, I'd be inclined to remove it just in case it's caused by nothing that has been suggested so far...

Regards,
Ben.

Thanks, Ben. Since the plant is outside, I can't think of anything that it may have come in contact with other than the water, seaweed extract and fert. I wash my hands with Physan 20 before I handle them, (I'm a horrible person - I smoke ).

However, I did check it yesterday, and I could see that the edge of the sheath had some kind of damage as well, so I am seriously inclined to believe that this is some kind of mechanical damage that occurred probably when it fell over.

I am going to remove it, though. Its kind of depressing to look at - especially since the other bloom is so pretty.