Question
Hello Jim,
I thought I would let you know that after I got your answer, I decided to try to save the plant by cutting off the infected leaf. (I was not willing to lose such a little jem just yet.)

I used a new blade and put ground cinnamon on the part of the leaf that was still attached to the plant. It has been a week and a half, and the plant is not showing any signs of disease on the other leaves.

My follow up question is this: while cutting off the infected leaf, I nicked one of the newer leaves. Will a phalaenopsis continue to grow a leaf that is damaged? The leaf is only a few weeks old.

I would rather not cut off the damaged leaf, as I have already removed one of the oldest (albeit diseased) leaves... Thoughts?

--------------------
-----

Followup To

Question -
We acquired a beautiful Dtps. Luchia Stripe x P. Zuma Pixie a few months ago from a reputible greenhouse. At the time, there were 25+ flowers on it with approximately 30 new buds. When we got the plant there was also a new leaf forming. The plant flowered for a few weeks, and in total we got 70 flowers.
The plant is now working on a second new leaf since we got it, making a total of six leaves on the plant. The leafs seem to be growing fast, and I was happy with it until lately when I noticed some brown spots appearing on one of the older leaves.
When I looked futher, the underside of the leaf has a lot more of the brown spots, and the spots are sunken into the leaf. It looks like the spots are worse at the tip of the leaf, but they are certainly starting to work their way toward the base of the plant. The splotches also seem to run along the one edge of the leaf.
The pattern of the splotches looks sort of like what dark vinegar looks like when it's put in oil.
I pulled the plant out of the pot it was in to examine the roots and crown, but there does not seem to be any problems. I repotted the plant in moss and have separated it from our other 20+ orchids, but I would like to know if there is anything I can do for this little beauty.

Please send any thoughts/advice!


Answer -
Hello Tanisha,

Wow!  70 flowers must have been really impressive to see!  

At first I was a little puzzled by your description of the brown spots on the leafs but upon thinking about it, I suspect what they may be brown scale.  Try seeing if you are able to scrape them off with a fingernail or a toothpick.  If you can move or take them off, it probably means you have a scale infestation!  

Scales can suck the life out of your orchid and need to be taken care of as soon as possible.  To get rid of them, see if you can find Ortho Rose Defense in a garden center.  Although it is for roses, it is safe to use on orchids as long as you follow the mixing and application instructions.  It is a systemic insecticide so may take several weeks to work its way through the plant and kill the scales.  But, before you treat the orchid it would be a good idea to repot the orchid into fresh potting media and a new pot to get rid of any potential scale hiding within the current media and pot.  It will take three treatments of the insecticide spaced about a week to ten days apart.  

If they are not scale, the spots could be due to a bacterial infection.  Unfortunately, bacterial infections many times are fatal with few treatments that work once it has established itself within the plant.  

Hope this has helped and you are able to make it healthy again.  Good luck!  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.

Answer
Hi Tanisha,

Good for you!  I wish you the best in your attempt to save it!!  

A small nick on the new leaf won't harm it and it will continue to grow.  The only problem will be if you become bothered seeing it as the leaf grows, reminding of your "oops".  (grin)  Also, the nick may become larger as the leaf grows larger, looking like a notch along the leaf.  

Glad to hear you treated the cut leaf end with cinnamon!  I didn't even tell you about that.  Good going!!!  

Take care,

Jim