Question
Hi Jim,
I just saw your response to the 7/6/2005 post about the phal
with 3 leaves, the bottom one yellowing and wrinkling.  Mine is
going through the exact same thing, but the conditions are
different, so I was hoping you'd give some advice.

My phal last bloomed about a year ago and after the flowers fell
and I trimmed the spike, two roots started growing.  They're
growing slowly but steadily and are now about 1 inch long (each).  It
was about this time (Fall of this
year) that I relocated it to my balcony, which gets very little
direct sun, but has more humidity in the Fall than my house
interior does (I live in San Mateo, CA).   This phal has 3 leaves,
the largest one on the bottom, which started yellowing right
away out on the balcony so I brought it back inside the house
afraid that the sunlight was too much.  Since then, it has steadily
continued yellowing and wrinkling.  The second largest (middle)
leaf is green but wrinkling and thinning, and the top smallest
leaf is turning downward and wrinkling at the end.

I have it potted in orchid bark with drainage on the bottom.  I
don't mist it, and I water it every 7-12 days, just enough to soak
the bark, and then let it drain.  Indoors it gets very little/indirect
light.

can you help me understand what my phal needs to thrive?

Thanks,
EM

Answer
Hi EM,

Thanks for letting me know you live in San Mateo, that gives me an idea of the growing climate.  I hope I can help you with the phal.  

From your description of the condition of the phal, it sounds like it has a root problem.  You mention there are two roots growing slowly but my question is: what was the condition of the roots in the pot when you repotted it?  Were all of the roots soft and mushy?  If they were, they are basically dead rotten roots.  With no live roots to sustain it, the phal is taking what little moisture and food stored in the leaves to survive, that is why the leaves are becoming soft and wrinkled.  

I hate to say this but things do not look very good.  What I suggest is to try repotting it again, but this time remove any rotten roots and position the new roots to be at or below the bark level.  Also, use a smaller pot than the one it currently is in.  Why?  A large pot filled with bark and only a couple of healthy roots is a disaster about to happen because it will tend to remain wet too long.  Phals need moisture but not overly wetness around their roots and a large pot of bark will tend to stay wet longer because the two roots are not taking up the moisture.  Allow the bark to become barely moist between waterings, this will encourage the roots to grow and seek moisture.  Until you see progress, keep it in a warm shady location with some occasional light air movement around it.  

The wrinkling leaves will probably not plump back up again but hopefully a new leaf will emerge from the top or crown of the phal.  Leave the current leaves on the phal as they may help keep it alive until more new roots emerge.  

I hope this will help save your phal.  Good luck!  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.