Question
Hi!  Just got a Leopard Prince orchid as a gift about 2 weeks ago.  A few days after getting it home 2 buds that hadn't opened shriveled and fell off.  A couple of blooms did open up too.  Now there are 2 leaves that are yellow.  I read your previous replies about fruit being close by and I have moved my plant away from the fruit.  But I don't know what to do about the yellowing leaves.

Answer
Hi Melissa,

I'm afraid once the leafs have yellowed, they are pretty much history and will drop off within a week or two.  What don't want to happen is for the other leafs to follow those.  

Although you didn't say what kind of orchid your Leopard Prince is, is it a phalaenopsis orchid, flower is white with reddish raspberry spots?  Since I wasn't quite sure, I did a Google search under the name and that is what it came up with.  

Another thing that can cause leafs to turn yellow is a fungus growth and infection at the base of the leaf.  Check to see if there is a black sooty looking substance there, if there is, it probably is a fungus.  How fungus infections begin is when water is allowed to remain on the leaf overnight.  To minimize this, water it in the morning to allow enough time for water droplets to evaporate by nightfall.  It also helps if there is some air movement around it.  

Hope this helped.  Write back if you have other questions or would like more information about the above.

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.