Phalaenopsis 'Hongyun Caishen' meaning and symbolism, and should you cut off rotten leaves?

In the Phalaenopsis series, 'Hongyun Caishen' - just from the name you can tell it is a classic Lunar New Year orchid variety, symbolizing good fortune, great luck and prosperity, and grand prospects, and it also counts as a sturdy, easy-to-grow variety with abundant flowers.

As for the petals of 'Hongyun Caishen', the base color is quite white, and the purple center is relatively small. The spots themselves are random, and some of the spotted patches are larger, with few spots, so every single flower is unique, and the surface has a slight velvety feel. It also has another characteristic: the petals are especially shimmering - the white petals have a white shimmer, while the red petals have shimmers of different colors, and on close inspection there are many layers inside. Its color and shade also change depending on the light; if the weather warms up the flower color becomes lighter and appears rose pink, while if the weather is cooler the flower is deeper and leans toward rose red. So growers can care for it by controlling the temperature according to the relevant conditions.

What should you do if such a beautiful Phalaenopsis gets diseased leaves? In fact, diseased leaves on Phalaenopsis are very common, and the cause is mostly the common disease "soft rot"; at this point the leaves first show gray-brown spots, and later they slowly rot and dry into a husk. In this situation, it is recommended to trim off the affected part, or you can also cut it off directly from the whole root area.

So how should this kind of fungal infection be prevented? First you need to know that this kind of fungal infection is generally caused by placing the Phalaenopsis in a humid environment that is not ventilated and is high temperature. To prevent it, first put the plant in a cool, ventilated place; second, appropriately reduce the frequency of watering to keep the soil slightly dry, avoiding excessive moisture at the roots that triggers disease. Finally, you can prepare in advance some fungicides specifically for orchid diseases, such as carbendazim and thiophanate-methyl, dilute them according to the proportions in the instructions, and spray them on the leaves. Be careful not to spray when the sunlight is strong, so as not to burn the leaves.

It should be noted that the above measures cannot guarantee a 100% cure, because it may also vary with the variety, environment and many other factors. However, prevention is always better than treatment, so in normal times you should regularly check and maintain the healthy condition of the Phalaenopsis.