Causes of Black Leaves and Black Spots on Phalaenopsis Orchids and How to Treat Them

Growing Phalaenopsis orchids well is what many flower lovers want, because once they bloom, the flower shape really looks like a dancing butterfly and is truly beautiful. However, the most maddening situation in daily care is when the leaves develop "black rot". So if it really gets black rot, should it be dealt with? What timely rescue methods are there? Let's find out together below.

The so-called "black rot" is caused by bacterial or fungal infection inside the plant. The key trigger for these is the season. For example, in winter, most people fear the cold and shut the windows tight, not realizing that such a small action can end the life of a Phalaenopsis orchid, because orchid plants fear poorly ventilated places most of all. Another example is the high-temperature summer environment, where it can be said that one out of ten pots of flowers will get black rot, simply because in summer, even if ventilation is done very well, strong sunlight can easily injure the flower parts. In addition, a minor cause is that when watering, take care not to pour water directly onto the flowers or leaves, as this can easily cause black rot. In short, as long as there is any trace of "black rot", it must be dealt with immediately, and you absolutely must not delay and ignore it.

What does "black rot" generally look like? Black rot commonly occurs as changes on the leaves and does not occur on the roots. At this time, press the leaf slightly downward with your hand; if its condition is both soft and mushy, this may be the early stage of black rot, and in the later stage black rot will cause the whole tissue to turn black. So at this time, what timely rescue methods are there?

First, in daily care, pay close attention to changes on the leaf surface and the underside, so that early detection and early treatment are possible. The specific operation is to cut it off as soon as possible. When cutting, do not be reluctant and cut only half; cut away the entire black or transparent tissue completely. Then, after cutting, you can soak and disinfect it with a little carbendazim or thiophanate-methyl solution, and so on. In addition, note that the knife once used to cut black rot also needs to be strictly and thoroughly wiped clean with alcohol; otherwise the bacteria will not disappear on their own, and when it is used again it will infect other places. Finally, after the plant survives, it also needs to be given fungicide medication for several consecutive days, so as to ensure a complete cure. During the process, carbendazim, zineb, and chlorothalonil can be used alternately, and it is not recommended to use each medication more than three times, to avoid drug resistance.