Is this a Virus on my Phal?

[Ak_Orchid]

This phal has always had these spots on its leaves. It's healthy other than that. Is it a virus? I'd hate to get rid of the plant. It's a very slow growing phal species.

Thanks

[brookn]

Hey Sean,
Are you using any pesticides on this? It looks like bug damage, but if you are using a preventative, then it could be something else. If you have not been using pesticides, you might want to go purchase some Bayer Advanced Rose Spray. I buy it at Wal Mart for about $5. Spray thoroughly, and wait a week, then spray again.

[kmarch]

What species is your Phal? Some Phal species like schilleriana hve speckled leaves. I think viruses are quite rare in Phals.

[Ak_Orchid]

It's Phal Gigantea. The orchid came to me with this on it a while back. It's only put out 1 new leaf since buying it. The new leaf once fully grown started to develope something similar, but not as bad. I didn't get a pic of the newest leaf. I haven't used any pesticides on it. Should I be concerned for my other orchids?

Thanks

[brookn]

Sean, if this plant is in with your collection and has been, I would spray them all. The Bayer spray is not hard on the plants at all. I use it on mine, to treat phals, oncidium, dendrobium, and miltonidium. I have not had any adverse reactions, and it will kill the bugs. Cynthia one of our moderators recomends it. It does look like bugs, but it could also be mold. What are the conditions that you are growing in? temp, light, location, etc. That may help in diagnosis. I would suspect mold if it were getting a cooler temp., and too much humidity. Are you misting the plant? That could have an effect also.

[brookn]

Also if you clean the leaf does the black spotting come off? I would recomend using some dish soap 2 drops to one cup water, use a soft cloth dipped in the water, and wipe the leaves. Use tepid water, not hot, not cold, as the plant will not like an extreme temp on it's leaves. Dry the leaves after wiping, and let us know.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Could be fungal spots. Definitely is not symptomatic of virus, but there is always the possibility of other symptoms occurring because virus weakens a plant and makes it susceptible to other diseases. But I would put virus very low in the order of possibilities. I think you should find a very strong magnifying glass, jeweler's loupe, or microscope and look for mites. The spotting could be fungal infection in the wounds they leave behind. Don't bother with the Bayer Advanced Rose and Flower spray if it is mites, as they are not affected by that spray. See the mite sticky under diseases for ID and treatment.

[brookn]

Cynthia, on the Bayer it says it will kill mites, but from your experience you find that it does not? I also have that neem spray in the green bottle for my plants, now I am glad that I keep both around. AK you can also find the neem spray at WM for about $5. It is called Garden Safe.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

The B A Rose and Flower form of imidacloprid also contains a pyrethroid. They added this so that they could put mites on the label. However, while imidacloprid is systemic, pyrethrin is not. So, what you have is a spray that will kill the live mites, but not the eggs. And if you don't know the life cycle for the type of mite you have to know when is the best time to respray, with maybe a second respraying, you will not eliminate the mites. Neem oil will kill all stages of mites, and the respray is more for the few you missed than the need to kill a lot of recently hatched mites. Note my warnings in the original post here and in the sticky mite thread. Garden Safe was mentioned at the top of this thread.

[brookn]

Thanks Cynthia, I appreciate the clarification.