Question
QUESTION: I bought a beautifully healthy white moth orchid and all of the two flowers and the two leaves have fallen off and the stem has turned brown. The flowers slowly died than the leaves got mushy near the stem and fell off. All that is left is a brown stem, is it dead?? If not how can I save it. The stem is planed in peat moss with a drainage at the bottom. HELP!!

ANSWER: Hello Christina,

Yes, I'm afraid your moth orchid is dead.  If it was only the flowers and stem that died, there was a good chance it could be saved but with the leaves also gone, it is a goner.  

From your description of what happened, it sounds like you may have gotten water on the leaves which remained over night, that allowed fungus spores to land in the water and breed.  When you get another orchid, be sure to water in the morning to allow time for the water to evaporate before nightfall.  Also, place it where there are some gentle air movement which will help keep it growing healthily.  

Write back with the name of the new orchid and I'll try to help with some hints.  It also helps to know where you live so I have an idea of your climate, etc.  

Sorry I didn't have better news.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks for your advice, I can't believe that it died so easily and quickly! I also have a small bonsai and it has been losing it's leaves alot more than usual, is this normal. It's sprouting new leaves and stems, but it's not full as it use to be. Also I have a money tree, and some of the stems at the bottom are dry and hollow, but it's also sprouting new leaves. What is going on?? They are both in small pots that are topped with those decorative rocks. Should I repot them? ANd one more plant I have is a orchid that sprouts maroon flowers. Just a week ago the flowers fell off, they were there for three weeks, so I assume this was natural, but now the leaves are wavy and the stem is dry, normally it would be thick and dark green, but it's thin and pale green. so many plants so many problems all of a sudden. THanks

Answer
Hi Christina,

Yes, things can go bad fairly quickly when there is a fungus infection.   

Your bonsai and money tree sound like they might be under stress.  The problem is trying to figure out what is causing the stress.  Stres can be caused by many things but the first things I'd look at are temperature (too hot?), lack of water (needs more water during hot spells), loss of live roots due to rot, too much direct sunlight (especially afternoon sun).  If both have not been repotted in several years, you might consider repotting them and taking a closer look at the plants as you're doing that.  

Without knowing what kind of orchid you have, blooms lasting three weeks could be normal or not.  Some orchid blooms last only a day while others can last for many months.  I have a phalaenopsis that has been in constant bloom since early March on the same spike.  

If the leaves are becoming wavy, that usually indicates there is a problem with the roots.  Unpot it and take a look at the roots to see if they are dry and shriveled or soft and mushy.  If dry that indicates not enough water while mushy would indicate too much water.  For dry roots, you can try soaking them in a bucket of lukewarm water for about an hour to see if they will plump back up, if they don't that means they were dry for too long.  Mushy roots are rotten roots, cut them off and repot into fresh orchid mix.  Unfortunately, wavy leaves will probably stay that way but new leaves should be fine.  

Saw in your other note that you're in Harrisburg, Pa.  

Hope this helped.  Good luck.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.