All about why the leaves of the Phalaenopsis orchid turn yellow and what to do with this problem

Indoor orchids are significantly different from their relatives living in the wild. However, they are still considered demanding plants. This is due to the fact that when growing, important rules should be observed and not to forget about the nuances.

Neglect of the requirements leads to the development of various diseases of orchids and the inevitable death of a flower. We will further explain why this is happening and what to do about it.

What are you talking about?

REFERENCE! In the leaves of plants there are such pigments: chlorophyll, carotenoids and xanthophylls, which are responsible for green, orange and yellow, respectively.

The change in natural and artificial factors affects the plant, in particular on the leaves. As a result, chlorophyll ceases to be produced, and due to a small amount of green pigment, yellow foliage can be seen in the lumen.

What does it look like?

In orchids, not only leaves turn yellow, but also the stem and peduncle. The tips may turn yellow, becoming pale yellow, change the roots to a light color, the plant becomes covered with brown spots, the stem, peduncle and other parts of the phalaenopsis turn yellow and dry. The appearance of a yellow color indicates ailments of various kinds or natural processes.

Why arises?

The foliage of the phalaenopsis turns yellow as a result of some factors:

• natural process;
• lack of lighting or sunburn;
• lack of fluid or stagnation of water in the pot;
• improper use of fertilizers;
• parasite damage;
• damage to the root system;
• low air humidity;
• hypothermia;
• infection infection.

Now you know why this is happening.

Harbingers

Upon contact with the leaves, roughness is felt - the first sign of the imminent appearance of yellowness.

IMPORTANT! A similar phenomenon indicates that the process of destruction of the surface of the sheet has begun. In this case, it is worth taking emergency measures to save the plant. And first you need to determine the reasons.

What to do?

Any grower can face the problem of yellowing of leaves. First of all, it is worthwhile to understand the causes of this phenomenon, and then look for ways out of a difficult situation.

Lack of light

Orchid diseases on the leaves are often due to improper lighting. Phaleonopsis is a shade-tolerant plant, but this does not mean that it absolutely does not need sunlight. As a result of the lack of lighting, the leaves become smaller in size, the sprouts reach for the light, becoming long, weak, not formed. In the absence of light, the process of photosynthesis slows down.

Symptoms:

• elongated shoots;
• pale color of leaves;
• withering appearance;
• the flower is often susceptible to various diseases.

How to help:

1. move to a more lighted place;
2. equip additional lighting if necessary.

Thermal burns

Sunlight is, of course, good. But all is well, it should be in moderation. Phalaenopsis does not tolerate intense lighting. Direct sunlight from direct contact causes burns on the leaves. A plant that is not accustomed to bright light does not tolerate this well.

As for artificial lighting, there are also problems. Incorrectly selected, less than 20 cm, the distance between the lamp and the flower, provokes thermal burns.

Symptoms:

• yellow stalk;
• leaves that fade and fall (for what other reasons the leaves and flowers of the phalaenopsis wilt and how to save the plant, you will learn here);
• the appearance of dark, rough spots;
• the base of the plant got a red tint;
• yellow formless spots appeared on the leaves, places of burns.

How to help:

1. remove the damaged sheet;
2. we transfer the plant to a more comfortable place of residence.

Oversupply or malnutrition

It often happens that after the purchase, the orchid blooms and actively develops during the first 1-2 years, and then the plant's condition deteriorates sharply, and the actions taken do not bring success. This is due to overfeeding the flower. Sellers often resort to such measures to obtain a lush and bright flowering.

Symptoms:

• burnt roots;
• yellow leaf tips;
• slow development.

How to help:

1. we get the plant out of the pot;
2. soak the roots in warm, clean water;
3. transplant into new soil and place on a well-lit place;
4. You can fertilize after 2 weeks with weakly concentrated preparations.

Lack of nutrition also negatively affects the condition of the plant. With a lack of micro and macro elements, the leaves of the plant look:

1. Mg deficiency - leaves brighten, veins remain dark;
2. Fe deficiency - yellowness of the entire leaf;
3. deficiency K - dry edges, the appearance of holes on the sheet;
4. deficiency P - old leaves dries out, part of a leaf dies out;
5. deficiency N - the leaves dry at the base.

ATTENTION! To restore the healthy appearance of phalaenopsis, bait should be added with the advantage of one or another nutrient.

Moisture deficit

Lack of fluid can occur when there is no watering at all. A plant needs a minimum amount of water, which dissolves the nutrients found in the soil and nourishes the root system.

Symptoms:

• the tips of the leaves turn yellow;
• the roots brighten;
• the plant loses elasticity.

How to help:

1. we extract an orchid from a flowerpot;
2. immersed in a basin with water until the clay coma is deoxidized;
3. note that water should not fall on the leaves;
4. if necessary, put in a new pot.

Virus infection

Viral disease is a serious matter, but the good news is that such ailments are extremely rare. The reason for the defeat of the virus is temperature changes, flower transportation, a sharp change in humidity in the room.

Symptoms:

• yellow stem, leaves;
• the color and shape of the flower is not normal;
• also the presence of dark rings on the surface of the sheet.

How to help: treat the diseased plant with a broad-spectrum antibiotic or fungicide solution. However, such therapy may not give the expected result. Viral diseases are largely untreatable.

Bacteria overgrowth

Dangerous causes of the defeat of phalaenopsis are bacterial infections. The disease occurs in some parts of the plant, while not affecting others. As a result, the disease is rather difficult to recognize.

Symptoms:

• wet spots;
• yellow border on the leaves;
• dark putrefactive formations on the green parts of the plant.

How to help:

1. creation of optimal comfort conditions for phalaenopsis;
2. move the diseased plant away from healthy ones;
3. remove damaged areas of the plant;
4. spray the orchid with an aqueous fungicide solution.

Fungus

REFERENCE! The defeat of fungi is considered a common ailment among phalaenopsis.

Small tubercles appear on the leaves, in which there are microspores of fungi. It is better not to touch these formations, otherwise you can infect nearby plants.

Symptoms: yellow tubercles on leaves, flower neck.

How to help: treat the foliage with a fungicide solution or simply remove the diseased part of the orchid.

Natural process

From time to time, the orchid discards old leaves. There is nothing wrong with this process, on the contrary, it is considered the norm. A similar process is associated with the life cycle of phalaenopsis. The leaf plate begins to gradually turn yellow, becoming a bright yellow color, after it wrinkles, darkens and dries out. First of all, the lower leaves turn yellow. Natural death occurs after 1-5 years.

Now you know what the treatment of the disease will depend on and what to do with it in each of the cases.

Prevention

It is possible to avoid such situations with proper care of the orchid:

1. Maintaining a comfortable temperature in summer: + 22-25ºС, in winter + 16-18ºС. The difference in temperature differences should not exceed 5ºС.
2. Lighting is required diffused, with a daylight duration of 14 hours. In summer, intense sunlight needs to be shaded.
3. Humidity within 50-60%. Be sure to regularly ventilate the room.
4. Water once a week, in between the soil should completely dry.
5. Fertilize orchids 2 times a month, especially during the flowering period. Top dressing should be used with a predominant content of potassium and iron.
6. It is better to spray Phalaenopsis up to 5 times a day. Exclude the procedure during the flowering period.

Do not sound the alarm when yellow leaves appear in phalaenopsis. Perhaps the cause is the old age of the plant, and leaf discharge is a rejuvenation process. However, it is better to be on the alert. Carefully inspect the flower every week, so as not to miss important symptoms, and in time to recognize the cause. Now you know what to do if the leaves of the phalaenopsis turn yellow.

Useful video

Because of what, the leaves of Phalaenopsis most often turn yellow and how to fix the situation:

Watch the video: How to know what's wrong with a Phalaenopsis Orchid from its leaves (October 2024).