Why Do Phalaenopsis Leaves Fluctuate in Size? The Three Simplest Steps to Fix It

When it comes to growing flowers and plants, many people first talk not about how beautiful the plant looks, but about its "lucky meaning." That is why in recent years many people have come to love choosing the Phalaenopsis, which has beautiful flowers and a very auspicious meaning.

However, many people have stumbled along the way when caring for them. Some find the flowers withering not long after they bring them home, while others watch the leaves turn from emerald green to pitch black. So what mistakes are they making in care?

Apart from watering, light and fertilizer, there is really not much else to pay attention to when growing Phalaenopsis, yet quite a few flower lovers say they cannot keep them alive. This is probably related to regional factors, so care differs from place to place. For example, flower lovers in northern regions, where the overall climate is relatively dry, need to spray water several times by hand to ensure the plant absorbs enough moisture. Flower lovers in southern regions, where humidity is already high, only need to think about keeping the plant warm in winter, plus providing a moderate amount of supplemental light.

So why is it that flower lovers often buy a Phalaenopsis from the flower market with very long leaves, but after growing it themselves the leaves become small and short? First, many orchid nurseries today use hormones when growing commercial Phalaenopsis. With hormones, the flower spikes will definitely multiply, turning a single spike into two or even three, and the leaves and flowers will also grow larger. This is the flower shop's way of boosting sales.

The second reason is that some varieties of Phalaenopsis have been tissue-cultured in China for many generations, with leaves or roots cut and cultured into thousands upon thousands of plants. Done this way, the plant cells' vitality declines. You will notice its leaves getting smaller from the bottom upward, and the flowers it produces are also very small.

The last reason is that if your Phalaenopsis suffers a sudden temperature swing, or the air is too dry or too wet, it will easily fall prey to pests and diseases. All of these will stall the plant's growth, making the leaves grow much slower than normal. The fix is not hard either: be a bit more attentive day to day, deal with any pest outbreak immediately, and follow the watering principle of "water when dry, hold off when wet." If you follow these steps and the roots still show no activity, then it is best to pot it in a sleeve pot, or go to the flower shop and buy fresh medium; there is a good chance things will improve quickly.