Species loss

[Hummer344]

My Phal amboinensis has bit the dust. I received it 4/8 & repotted it 4/10. It initially did well but then began loosing leaves. No sign of rot but it actied like it. The last leaf fall off today. The roots were not bad and I have no idea what happened.

Meanwhile the Paph. spicerianum was received the same day, has received the same treatment and has done well. No sign of sickness and has put out new leaves.

David

[articuno75]

David, were there any signs on the leaves? Like wrinkling, wilting, or otherwise? What about the grow conditions? There were several of us that had issues with dropping and yellowing leaves. I wonder if your plant went into a catatonic shock that just couldn't recover. I'm sooo sorry to hear about this.

[mayres]

David - did it loose the leaves from the bottom up? What other symptoms did you note? What did you have it planted in? What were your temps? Curious curious here for any details you can provide. Sorry to hear it happened - do you have other phals/any species phals? Same treatment?

[Rocinante]

Sorry for your loss, but for $6.00 is it too late to try again

[Vivienne]

sniff sniff - sorry to hear about from Amboi.

[solay]

I hate when that happens. Poop!!! You'll just have to try again. Maybe you just got a bad one. That's what I always say. Not your fault at all.

[Hummer344]

Lets see, details details:
The leaves didn't wrinkle but showed yellowing at the base first then fell off. Its sorta strange. I have seen this in root rot but usually they turn black first. It lost its leaves from the top down. The biggest leaf fall off last.

I re-potted it in a mix of coconut husk, regular bark, small and medium dyna-roc, just a little spag moss, perlite and charcole. Its the same mix I put all my orchids in. I just adjust the mix to the plant. A little more big pieces, or a tad more little stuff. All very scientific. I only use spag when plants are very young and need just a tad more moisture and usually with my phals. I really have to be careful because I have rotted more plants than I care to admit to.

The plant was kept in my upstairs office until May one. Cool at night, warm during the day but not hot. Since may one, they have been outside and our weather has been delitefull. 70-75 during the day high 40's low 50's during the night. Nice a breezy during the afternoon. What more could an orchid want during the spring?

Ah well, this is a trial so you have to expect a little death and dying along the way.

[patticake]

Oh, No! I'm so sorry! Maybe you got a weak one to start.
My Phal. amboinensis is doing o.k.- I lost a leaf from yellowing at first too. I've had mine under T-12's. It's doing better. Try with another one.- Maybe you got a dud!

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Yep, problem is obvious enough. You froze the poor thing. Baker's sheet gives a record low for the locality in which it grows of 65F. I have been avoiding many of these species Phals until recently because of the high temps they require. I have a violacea that was 3' away from small opening in a window in the middle of summer that gave the plant a wind chill that killed off 90% of the leaf area. By now it has grown half a leaf which more than doubles the poor babies leaf area.

Keep the stump warm, and who knows.

[Brassavola]

Originally Posted by Hummer344

Lets see, details details:
The leaves didn't wrinkle but showed yellowing at the base first then fell off. Its sorta strange. I have seen this in root rot but usually they turn black first. It lost its leaves from the top down. The biggest leaf fall off last.

OMG, the same thing happened to me, only mine was a phalaenopsis hybrid. I realized that it had begun to rot in the inside of the crown, but I don't know why. Sorry

[arleneg]

Hummer,

If your Phal still have good roots, don't bury it, yet. I have a Phal whose leaves all fell off. When that happened, I was confused because the roots are healthy. So I put it aside and kept watering it twice a week. Several days later, I noticed a green tip growing from the center where the top leaf was. Now, I have a new leaf measuring about 1/2".

[solay]

I agree totally, give it a chance until it is definitely dead dead dead!

[Hummer344]

To late, it is gone, gone, gone, on to a new life as compost.

[articuno75]

I'm sorry, I had to laugh on that one.

Hummer were you going to try again?

[solay]

That's so funny. Well I guess it's time to move on then. Good luck with the next one!

[arleneg]

Originally Posted by Hummer344

To late, it is gone, gone, gone, on to a new life as compost.

I thought you said the roots weren't bad. Oh well, I guess time to move on.

[kmarch]

I think your species are dying because you're capitalizing their specific epithets. They're very sensitive about such things and dont' like to have their species names capitalized.

[myorchid]

Kevin,

You are so funny!! That just cracks me up...

[solay]

If that's the case then I'm in BIG trouble. Don't know when to use lower case and when to use capital letters. I don't always know what's a species and what's a hybrid. Hee! Hee! Hee!

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by solay

Don't know when to use lower case and when to use capital letters.

It's super simple:
1) The genus is always capitalized, always.
2) The species name (specific ephitet) is always lower case, always.
3) The grex (hybrid name that replaces the species name in hybried) is always capitalized, always.

Originally Posted by solay

I don't always know what's a species and what's a hybrid. Hee! Hee! Hee!

This is super simple too:
1) The grex names (hybrid names) are (almost) always in modern English (only a few exceptions apply to this rule as a handful of very old hybrids have latinized names - one example of an old hybrid that has a latinized name is Phrag Sedenii - there aren't bery many of these though).
2) Species names (specific epithet) are always Latinized, always.

EXAMPLES:
PAPHHIOPEDILUM ROTHSCHILDIANUM - Looking at the first name first we know this is a genus (generic ephitet) and we know that all genus are capotalized. The second mane, rothschildianum, is Latinized so this is a species name which is not capitalized. The correct capitalization of this name then is: Paphiopedilum rothschildianum.

GUARITONIA WHY NOT - to begin with the genus name is a combination of Guarianthe and Broughtonia so already we know it is a hybrid so we need look no further, the whole name will be capitalized like this: Guaritonia Why Not.

Questions?

[JLu]

I guess every thread has a life of its own. It's always interesting when a question is asked and the answer is ignored in favor of further hand wringing. I understand why...at least in the United States. I read an article in USA Today that says 4 school systems have adopted a policy where 50 (rather than zero) is the lowest possible score on a test of knowledge. The reasoning (notice I did not say "logic") goes like this: Since a D is 60-69 and an F is 0-59, there is 6 times more opportunity for a student to get an F than a D and that is unfair. For the first time in my life I am now told that the score one gets on a knowledge test is the same as the random probability of rolling a number on a ten sided die!! Don't laugh in California...one of those school systems is in San Jose! The dumbing of America continues unabated. Dadgum it, just when I think it can't get worse....it does.

Did anyone read Cynthia's post that you killed the thing by putting it outside when it was too cold? If you missed it, go back and look before repeating the same thing again. Honestly, I'm not being cross here. I'm just allergic to causes like "got a bad one" or "manure happens". Everything has a reason even if we are not smart enough to know what it is.

Kevin,nice try to bring some useful information to the thread. You should add that genus and species names are in italics, Grex and cultivar names are not in italics and cultivar names are inside single quotation marks.

[patticake]

Yes, I should have commented that the 40's was too cold for a Phal.- I'm fairly new, and didn't really think it was my place. I also wasn't entirely sure that I was correct.

Kevin, Thanks so much for the clarification again on the names. I know that many don't know about this. I think I finally have it down, but it took me a while! Your thread of "capitalizing orchid names made Easy", should be viewed by all! You're the best, Kevin!

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by JLu

You should add that genus and species names are in italics, Grex and cultivar names are not in italics and cultivar names are inside single quotation marks.

Yes I should add that. And I should also add that cultivar names are also not Latinized. My approach to being the nomenclature police (as I have come to be knowm by some here) is summed up in the lyrics to a charming tune from the Ranklin/Bass holiday animated show Santa Clause Is Coming to Town:

Just put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walkin' 'cross the floor
Just put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walkin' out the door!

[evagentry]

If only all police were as tolarant as you are kmarch.

[solay]

Thank you for that very good explanation. Like I said, I'm learning so much from this forum. You can police my mistakes anytime. That's how we learn.

[brookn]

Kevin I LOVE that song!!! I know off topic, but that one and Silver and Gold. Those shows take me back to my childhood.

I mentioned early on that the ambionensis is from a very warm place, but I think it got overlooked. I ordered Baker's sheets early on in the projects, and I have found them invaluable. $25 and you get a great deal on the sheets. I still have not used the whole amount.
On another note, just to show how temps mess with these warm growing species Phals, my bellina got chilled because of our weird weather, and lost 2 leaves, and some of it's roots. It did not take much, about 53F, and she was sick. It's now recovering nicely, but it was touch and go for a while, and it took me a few days to figure out what did it. This is a fully established plant that had 7 leaves, if it had been smaller, I am certain it would have died. The interesting part, the Penang Girl, and stuartiana next to it were fine, but they were farther from the window (but only by a few inches).

[articuno75]

Jlu~

Did anyone read Cynthia's post that you killed the thing by putting it outside when it was too cold? If you missed it, go back and look before repeating the same thing again. Honestly, I'm not being cross here. I'm just allergic to causes like "got a bad one" or "manure happens". Everything has a reason even if we are not smart enough to know what it is.

I read the post just fine and seen where Cynthia said that the Phal was chilled to death. That was a truly honest mistake made by Hummer.

No your comment is not cross, but it is snide. There were several of us that did get "not so great of plants." BUT this is a GROW PROJECT.

I guess even in the book of knowledge, you have to read a little further to get the whole picture.

[solay]

I think we just like to blame other things besides what we did to cause the death or injury of a plant. It's also a lighter way of putting it and to make ourselves not feel so bad. Well, I for one say learn from your mistakes and move to the next plant. No point in getting too serious and upset over things. This is suppose to be fun.

[fred]

Public Announcment.....as I have received information in regards to this thread I would like to make a few thing very clear.
Quote From the orchidgeeks Forum Rules & Guidelines]

The forum has been designed to encourage members to learn from each other by sharing their stories and experiences. Please use the forum responsibly. We reserve the right to delete any comments that in any way violate the Rules, or in instances where we feel that a comment damages the reputation of the Orchid Geeks Forum
Orchid Geek,s reserves the right to ban user's access to the forum when a member has become potentially damaging to the reputation of the forum.

The following will result in the deletion of postings no questions asked.

Offensive or obscene, Defamatory, Abusive or hateful, Racially discriminating, Used to embarrass, harass, threaten or cause distress or discomfort to another user

now here is where I draw the line.

If a member demeans another member they will face action
Just a word of caution here do not try to disagree with me regarding regarding this.

please keep in mind at all times

The forum has been designed to Encourage Members to Learn from each other by Sharing Their Stories And Experiences

thank you
Fred
Site Administrator

Sorry Hummer back to the Topic

[evagentry]

Thanks Fred you are one of a kind! I don't know what we would do without you!

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by evagentry

Thanks Fred you are one of a kind! I don't know what we would do without you!

We'd probably end up like those kids in Lord of the Flies. LOL

[fred]

hehehehe where would you be without me hehehehe
throw a Party



the only way I would go if someone ran me over with a truck and got passed my watch dog and stole my chids lol I will thow in the wife hehehehe ( Bad Fred ) lol




just trying out a new smilie

[articuno75]

I was going to double check if Hummer was going to try again, but I think he already left for vacation.

I love smilies.

[fred]

I did see Hummer online for a short time last night Jenny

another new smilie hehehehe

I hope he ( Hummer ) has a nice vacation

[evagentry]

Kmarch, where is the pig-head-on-a-stick smilie? I can't seem to find it!

[fred]

pig-head-on-a-stick smilie?
I have not seen that one myself lol