Question
White Fungus
I have a new orchid plant from a rather humid green house - my house is not very humid.
the stems of many of the blossom buds have a fluffy white fungus on them as well as in the v of two branches. The plant is in a well ventilated area. The fungus is not on any of the leaves
What should be done to remove and keep this away.
AnswerHello Mary,
Unfortunately I was not able to see much in the picture you sent. I wonder if maybe this is something other than a fungus. For one thing fungus is supposed to be fuzzy, not fluffy. I think it is probably one of two things. It is either really a fungus or it is mealybugs.
Before you treat the plant for fungus, make sure that it really is fungus and not mealybugs.
Mealybugs are soft-bodied, oval shaped, scale like insects with many legs. Mealybugs are covered by a sticky, fluffy white, cottony looking substance that extends out from it's body like short filaments. Mealybugs can be a problem to get rid of because the cottony substance often protects the insect from pesticides.
Like scale insects, adult mealybugs do not really move around and the young spend most of their time safely tucked under mom's fluffy covering. It is odd there is nothing on the leaves (the fungus should be on the leaves as well) but mealybugs like to set up shop on stems, crevices and the crooks where branches meet.
Use a cotton swab (or a toothpick) dipped in alcohol to wipe at the white stuff. If you find a little pink insect (and/or a bunch of little pink baby insects) then you have mealybugs.
The best way to get rid of Mealybugs is to pick them off with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Be sure to check all little crevices, folds and grooves on both the leaves and stems. Check the leaves, especially the undersides, even though you haven't seen any white fluffy stuff on them. There may be eggs on the leaves you haven't seen yet. Be sure to carefully check the buds, inside and out, for eggs.
Also check the pot and the immediate area surrounding the pot (such as a window sill) as well as the plant for eggs.
If the white stuff just smears around (and stays white, the alcohol usually dissolves at least some of a mealybug's coating) Then it is probably fungus. To try to make sure it's fungus look at it closely and see if you can see an area, probably in the center, that has tiny little flecks that are darker than the rest of it. This is called a 'fruiting center' and is where it propagates spores.
If it is a fungus get a anti-fungal spray made with Neem oil. (products made with Neem oil are often 3 in 1 products because Neem oil is an anti-fungal and an insecticide). Spray the fungus lightly then spray some of it on a couple of paper towels or a rag and carefully wipe the fungus off. The best thing to use for fungus is a product called Consan 20. You can get Consan 20 at any nursery or landscaping center. You can use it like you would the Neem oil, lightly spray then wipe with a Consan 20 soaked rag or just wipe with the Consan 20 rag. Consan 20 is the best at killing fungus so it does not come back. Make sure that you mix the Consan 20 correctly (it is a concentrate and needs to be diluted properly for what you plan to use it for and what you are going to use it on), use distilled water to dilute it and make sure you wipe off all of the fungus (if you lightly spray it first the Consan 20 will kill any stray fungal spore that may get missed).
I hope this helps. If you have any questions or need additional information please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks
Tracy
