Help! Leaf with large LIGHT green area

[MNKessler]

Hello,
I hope to add pictures of the leaves of my Phalaenopsis in the next couple of days, but until then.... I've only had this orchid for one month. It has been doing beautifully, the buds have been opening, there are new flower stalks forming, etc. It has large, thick, dark green leaves. I suddenly noticed today that one of the large green leaves has an area about 1" by 1" (fairly rectangular too suprisingly) that is now a very light green, almost whitish. There is nothing to scrape off the leaf so I don't think it's fungal. It is a part of the leaf that has been facing directly into the sun in my Southern window.

Any ideas what this might be and how I stop it from occuring elsewhere? (It looks like one of the other leaves might be starting the same thing.)

I've had a few tiny flies around on my Bonsai for the past few weeks and have been spraying regularly. In total, though, I've seen about 2 flies in the two weeks, but I spray both plants just the same once a week.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Michael Kessler

[janet_a]

whoa--phal in a southern window in long island? that may be too much light, do you have an eastern window you can put it in? or move the plant several feet back from the window, or put a sheet of tissue paper (like the stuff you wrap presents in) over the window to cut the light a bit.

greyer heads than mine will no doubt weigh in, but i think that's sunburn on your leaves. in the wild, phals like to hang out under the canopy of taller trees; they'd rarely get direct sun for any length of time.

Sounds like sunburn to me, too. I live in New Jersey and my phals are in a south window, but three feet back. The sun loving cattleyas are in front of them.