Hello everyone, this is my first post. I don't know much about plants, but I am eager and willing to learn! Cacti and Succulents are my go-to favourites but I also have a soft spot for Orchids and Bonsai. Unfortunately, I have run into difficulty with one of my orchids and I need your help, if you would be so kind to offer it! My orchid (no idea what species...) had been doing just fine for a few months since I got it- it even grew 2 more flowers. But since then, 2 of the 3 leaves have obtained large dry dark brown spots!!! They've been there for about a month now and from what I can tell, haven't grown really, although the leaf in that area is dry and thin. Can someone please tell me what is wrong with my orchid and what I am doing wrong and most importantly, what I can do now to help it/prevent this from happening again? I water my orchid once every week and a half. Thank you so much in advance!
clairecw I believe your orchid is a phalaenopsis or moth orchid, but I have no idea on that particular one. I would sure like to know more about the black spots - what they are, what causes them, how to prevent them from happening and cure them when they do occur. Hopefully some one will step up with answers. ;)) barb
Hi Barb, thanks for the identification and the concern! Are orchids particularly sensitive to the type of water you give them?? I just water mine straight from the tap...could this be the problem? Thanks
Tap water might be your problem. Black spotting like what you see there can be caused by mineral buildup in the potting medium; it's why most orchid growers will tell you to use collected rainwater or distilled water with orchids. You can't do anything about the existing spots, but you can prevent new ones from happening by changing the water you use. I'm with Barbara - it's a Phalaenopsis. Which hybrid, however, is nearly impossible to say since there are literally thousands.
Hi lorax, thank you so much for the reply. I will start using different water with my orchids immediately!
