Question
cymbidium orchid brown
Hello wayne.
Thank you for taking the time to help me.
I have a new cymbidium orchid plant with tons of flowers that is rather large. Since receiving it I've noticed that the leaves are turning brown, starting from the tip it seems.
Can you please tell me what I might be doing wrong before I kill it? I've been known to have a black thumb. :( How should I keep this beautiful plant healthy?
I have pictures if it helps.
Karen
AnswerThank you Karen for the picture. First, I recommend that you cut off the brown portion of the leaf tips. Make your cut about 1 inch below the affected portion of the leaf. Be sure to use a clean, sterile cutting tool. It does not appear to be either sunburn or a fungal or bacterial infection. It is clear (from the clear area below the brown area) that the condition is spreading from leaf tip downward. That is why I recommend the cutting-- in hopes that this will reduce or eliminate the spread. It is possible that this condition is due to the concentration of salts in the leaf tips. This can occur from one or both of two conditions: degraded potting mix and/or use of too concentrated a solution of plant food. Once the plant has finished flowering, you need to repot it in a clean pot with lots of drainage holes in fresh orchid potting mix. The fresh potting mix should facilitate the drainage and prevent the buildup of salts in the potting mix. Once this has been done and new growth appears, the new growth should be healthy. If there is a problem with the new growth, this diagnosis will need to be revisited. If you wish to try a preventative treatment with a fungicide, use one containing a copper compound. Do not spray the plant until it has lost it flowers and been repotted.
