Diseases of the phalaenopsis orchid on the leaves: methods of treatment with a photo, why do the external organs of the plant turn red or if vesicles and white loose plaque appear?

Orchid is a happy tenacious flower, but it is often exposed to various diseases and pests. This is often evidenced by the condition of the leaves. In a healthy plant they are dense and durable, but in a patient they may look different - yellow, lethargic, dry, with a touch. In such cases, the flower needs to be urgently saved, otherwise it can lead to serious health problems of the orchid. Read on to know how to restore the leaves of a plant, return them to their original appearance.

Why are leaflets so important?

The leaves of the phalaenopsis orchid play a large role in its life. Together with the roots, they participate in photosynthesis, absorbing light. Also, a flower breathes through them - at the bottom of each leaf are microscopic pores that absorb oxygen and moisture.

Along with all their functions, in most cases they are also a kind of alarm, which notifies that the orchid is sick. Such signals should be listened to, because diseased leaves cannot fully give the plant all the necessary substances, the whole flower suffers from this.

How to understand what problems?

Healthy leaves of saturated green color, have a dense structure. Distressed can be noticed immediately, you just need to carefully consider the plant.

Sluggish.
Turn yellow at the edges or in the middle.
Have plaque on the lower or upper part of the leaves.
Darken or lighten.
Wrinkle like wrinkled skin.

If one of these signs has been noticed, then special attention should be paid to the flower and its treatment.

ATTENTION! Once a year, an orchid can drop one or two lower leaves. The flower itself looks healthy and can even bloom. This is normal, because the obsolete parts of the plant dry out, and after some time the orchid will give a new leaf.

What ailments can affect a flower?

Often the orchid is affected by non-communicable diseases caused by improper care. Having examined the flower, you can determine for what reason the plant began to wither.

Lower leaves turn yellow - insufficient watering or errors in maintenance during dormancy.
Yellow spots or white dots - powdery mildew, rot, pests.
Sluggish leaves - aphids, ticks, bacterial spotting.
Sticky spots on the leaves (or white) - aphids, bacterial spotting, powdery mildew.
Black spots (darkening of the leaf) - rot, spider mite due to improper watering in cold weather.
Soft, wrinkled leaves - pests, fusarium rot, bacterial spotting.
Rotting - Fusarium rot due to improper watering.
Why do leaves turn red and what to do about it? This is due to pests and rot due to improper watering in the cold, or water entering the leaves. Watch for moderate and regular watering of the plant, prevent the appearance of pests.
Twisting - rot, pests.
Blacken edges - bacterial spotting.
Mold - pests (this happens in conditions of high humidity).
Silver plaque - pests, gray rot, powdery mildew.
White bugs on leaves or a fungus are pests due to frequent watering or too high humidity.

You will find more information about the diseases and pests that phalaenopsis is often exposed to, as well as how to get rid of them, in our article.

Why do they arise and how to determine the source?

Most orchid health problems are due to improper care. In order to determine what the plant lacks, or what is in excess, it is necessary to know the optimal conditions for keeping orchids.

This flower loves ambient light. Direct rays of the sun can leave a burn on the leaves, so in hot summer days, the orchid should be shaded. Also, do not leave it in dark places - from this the leaves lose their density, become lethargic. Incorrect watering can lead to the same consequences. In the active period, the orchid needs to be watered 2-3 times a week, and during wintering 1-2 times a week.

An excess of fertilizers also often negatively affects the plant - a silver coating appears on the leaves, and life expectancy is significantly reduced. There may also be problems with flowering - especially for orchids that give a lot of flower stalks during this period.

Humidity and temperature are also important.. In the cold, the flower simply dies, and from a lack of humidity the leaves dry and turn yellow (about why the leaves and other parts of the phalaenopsis dry, read here).

IMPORTANT! Increased humidity will also create problems - an orchid can easily rot, pests can easily start on the leaves in this mode.

Problems, treatments and photos

Each problem has its own control measures. The main thing is to correctly determine the cause of the disease, so that you can provide timely help and not harm the plant even more. Therefore, it is worth checking carefully the conditions of detention in order to make the correct diagnosis.

Below we describe methods for treating common ailments of plant leaves, photos will also be attached.

If solid white plaque and bubbles form

The appearance of bubbles and white loose coating can say a lot. If, in addition to stickiness and moisture droplets, no other oddities are found, then it is worth revising the conditions of detention. An orchid thus reacts to cold, or to an excess of moisture, top dressing.

If pests have been detected, then immediate action should be taken. Scale can cause sticky leaves. These pests infect the bottom of the leaf. Necessary actions:

Wipe the affected leaves with a swab to remove parasites.
Wash the plant with soapy water.
After thorough cleaning, increase air humidity.

Also, damage can be caused by a spider mite. In this case, proceed as follows:

Parasites are removed from the surface of the leaves.
The window sill is thoroughly wiped and the flowerpot is washed.
The plant is treated with pesticides (Fitoverm).
Humidity increases for the entire recovery period.

IMPORTANT! An orchid affected by pests must be isolated from other plants, otherwise there is a risk of infection of healthy flowers.

They began to turn yellow and fade

Leaves and orchid flowers wilt if the plant lacks moisture. It is recommended to increase watering and humidification. Also check whether the orchid is exposed to drafts, because from this the leaves and roots are frostbite, as a result of which the flower may die.

It is much worse if the orchid is rotten. In this case, the trunk will be darkened, and the leaves will fade and turn yellow due to excessive watering. In this case, do the following:

Remove the flower from the substrate and inspect the roots.
Remove those that have dark spots, or that do not absorb moisture when immersed in water (they remain the same painful in appearance).
Sick leaves are removed.
After all sections are treated with activated carbon.
The plant is placed in a greenhouse.

TIP! If the stem is rotten away, then such an orchid can no longer be saved. The plant should be discarded.

Next, you can watch a video that tells what to do with the yellow leaves of the orchid:

Stains formed

The appearance of black spots may indicate that the plant received a serious burn. Should shade the orchid, or rearrange in a shady place.

The second reason for the appearance of such spots are viruses. Affecting the lower leaves first, it gradually spreads to the entire plant. In most cases, such a flower will have to be thrown away - orchids can rarely overcome viral diseases. Moreover, a diseased plant can easily infect other orchids.

All kinds of fungi can become another reason. The plant can be completely saved if timely treatment is taken, namely:

All affected parts of the plant must be removed.
The places of the cuts are treated with iodine.
The orchid itself is subjected to bactericidal treatment (Fitolavin).
Subsequently, it is necessary to provide the flower with good air circulation.

ATTENTION! Black spots may also appear due to hard water. In this case, it is necessary to wipe the leaves with a weak solution of orange or lemon juice.

For more information on why spots appear on the leaves, stalk and flowers of the Phalaenopsis orchid, as well as on ways to get rid of them and preventive measures, we talked in a separate material.

What is contraindicated to do?

First of all, you can not leave the diseased plant as it is. Hoping that everything goes away on its own is not the best way out.

Also do not allow the affected flower to come into contact with healthy. In the case of pests, this can lead to the fact that all other orchids will fall ill.

Non-compliance with the conditions of detention is also unacceptable. Due to neglect of the plant, it withers and can die. It is also necessary to periodically inspect the flower - this will help to avoid serious problems with its health.

If you surround the plant with attention and care, then even a rolled capricious beauty, like an orchid, will be healthy. Any flower can get sick, and sometimes it takes a lot of strength and patience to recover, but the result is worth it, because it is so nice to watch how the orchid grows stronger and pleases the eye with its flowering. Now you know why the leaves fall off the plant. This can be a signal of flower diseases that can and should be fought.