Orchid Help

[GreenBean17!]

My mother received this orchid as a gift. Does anyone know what is causing the leaves to turn yellow?
We received it almost three weeks ago and haven’t watered it since. The leaves were all green when it was gifted. Orchids are totally new to me so any pointers are greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Jewell]

It looks like it might have gotten sun damaged, since it is on the same side for both leaves. The pattern of the leaf damage makes me think it was caused by something environmental. Reflected light from a window possibly. Heat or cold? This is just a guess and maybe someone else has another idea.

Moth orchids are pretty tough from my experience. You could trim off the rotted portion of the leaves and give it time. Water and let the dry between waterings. I treat mine the same as my cactus/succulents, but I live in a temperate climate, so that might not work every where. Bright indirect light helps them rebloom. Having an orchid pot and using coarse bark as a root medium makes them happy and prevents root rot. People often keep orchids only during the blooming cycle. Mine are from 15 years to rescued this year from discount tables. I find they rebloom...eventually. Three are blooming now.

 

[GreenBean17!]

It looks like it might have gotten sun damaged, since it is on the same side for both leaves. The pattern of the leaf damage makes me think it was caused by something environmental. Reflected light from a window possibly. Heat or cold? This is just a guess and maybe someone else has another idea.

Moth orchids are pretty tough from my experience. You could trim off the rotted portion of the leaves and give it time. Water and let the dry between waterings. I treat mine the same as my cactus/succulents, but I live in a temperate climate, so that might not work every where. Bright indirect light helps them rebloom. Having an orchid pot and using coarse bark as a root medium makes them happy and prevents root rot. People often keep orchids only during the blooming cycle. Mine are from 15 years to rescued this year from discount tables. I find they rebloom...eventually. Three are blooming now.

Thank you!!

 

[Tetters]

Hello @GreenBean17!

I`m afraid I think your orchid has a severe problem with black rot, which will kill the plant quite quickly unless you treat it fast.
This is a fungus, not a mould and it is usually caused by incorrect watering and misting.

Take it out of it`s pot and remove all the present compost (which should be special open material especially formulated for orchids) check the roots to see how much rot there might be. IF the root is still ok you could try the following -

Using a sharp sterile knife, carefully and cleanly cut off the leaves that show yellow/black and discard them carefully. you could use cinnamon to seal where the cuts have been made.
If the roots are not rotten, repot the plant in fresh orchid compost and use a transparent pot. Do not put the pot in a holder vase as it is in now, but on a flat saucer of some kind so that the light can get to the roots, and you can make sure that the plant never sits in standing water.

Water very well making sure the water goes through the pot and ALL drains away through the bottom. Only do this about once in two weeks at the most at this time of year. Do not mist the plants, or let any water sit on the leaves for any length of time.
Good luck.
We would be pleased to know how you get on.

 

[GreenBean17!]

Thank you so much!!! I will keep you posted.

 

[Nasir]

My mother received this orchid as a gift. Does anyone know what is causing the leaves to turn yellow?
We received it almost three weeks ago and haven’t watered it since. The leaves were all green when it was gifted. Orchids are totally new to me so any pointers are greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance for your help. View attachment 75409

Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis Amabilis)​

As leaves age, they turn yellow. This happens naturally, because the plant is saying: “I’m getting old. It’s time to stop growing and die.” If leaves turn yellow when they should be green, then you are probably not providing enough sunlight for them. Move them to a brighter location; underfeeding can also cause this. If leaves are becoming darker, it’s a sign of too little sunlight. Move it to a brighter location.
It’s important to keep the soil in your potting mix well-drained, or it could cause the roots to rot. However, if you give the plant too much water or aren’t sure how to keep it well-drained, over watering can cause the roots to shrivel up and die. Once you figure out the right amount of water needed for your plant, maintaining this balance will be easy.

Here is the complete guide:

Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis Amabilis) Indoor Care Guide - Brainy Gardener

Find out how to care for the Moth orchid (Phalaenopsis amabilis) indoors, including information on light and temperature requirements. If you want to grow this beautiful orchid in your home, check out our indoor care guide!

brainygardener.com

Here is the video link: