The Orchid Garden

Paph. with yellow base

Question:

I’m an orchid beginner.  I’ve had a single Phal. for a couple years that seems to be doing well, so two weeks ago I decided to test my luck with a Paph. Merope from Crystal Orchid Collection.  It has a single big bud.  The leaves are light green, and they seem to be getting yellower at the base.  Is it getting too much light?  Or is this normal?  Another strange thing is that as the flower stalk grows, it’s turning downwards so the bud is now pointed at the floor.  It’s not drooping, it’s just firmly hooking over.  I have it on a humidity tray about 5 feet from a west-facing sliding glass door.  Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Response:

I’m an orchid beginner.  I’ve had a single Phal. for a couple years that seems to be doing well, so two weeks ago I decided to test my luck with a Paph. Merope from Crystal Orchid Collection.  It has a single big bud.  The leaves are light green, and they seem to be getting yellower at the base.  Is it getting too much light?  Or is this normal?  Another strange thing is that as the flower stalk grows, it’s turning downwards so the bud is now pointed at the floor.  It’s not drooping, it’s just firmly hooking over.  I have it on a humidity tray about 5 feet from a west-facing sliding glass door.  Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Catherine, The leaf coloration does indeed sound as if there’s a problem. Intense light may be the cause, yes. As for the attitude of the bud, don’t worry about it. It may change with time, moving up, down, twisting a bit side to side. It’s important that you not interfere with the process. Don’t turn the plant daily or anything along those lines. Enjoy your bloom -Rod- Venger’s Orchids Website http://www.vengers.com/ Basic Culture CD-ROM: http://vengers.com/demo/cd.htm

Response:

I’m an orchid beginner.  I’ve had a single Phal. for a couple years that seems to be doing well, so two weeks ago I decided to test my luck with a Paph. Merope from Crystal Orchid Collection.  It has a single big bud.  The leaves are light green, and they seem to be getting yellower at the base.  Is it getting too much light?  Or is this normal?  Another strange thing is that as the flower stalk grows, it’s turning downwards so the bud is now pointed at the floor.  It’s not drooping, it’s just firmly hooking over.  I have it on a humidity tray about 5 feet from a west-facing sliding glass door.  Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Hi Catherine, The most common causes of leaf yellowing are too much light, insufficient calcium or magnesium or iron either due to insufficient supply or poor roots, or the leaf is senescent. If your leaves are yellowing at the base only I wouldn’t expect it’s from too much light. It is more probable, if only the lowest set are yellowing at the base, that the shock of being shifted from the growers conditions to yours while pushing up an inflorescence is causing senescence of the lower leaves. The yellowing is caused by nutrient reclamation from those leaves. Because you indicate the base color of the leaves is light green to start with, it is also possible that the plant is marginal for magnesium, which is transportable and usually taken from older leaves to feed the growing areas. If this is the case and the plant has good roots, you can remedy the problem quickly by mixing up a teaspoonful or two of Epsom Salts in water and use that the next time the plant needs watering. The bud orientation is typical, nothing for concern. Bob

Response:

Filed under: Orchid Flower

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