Normal or Not Normal

[Bikerdoc5968]

know that most orchids don't like water on their leaves...and some really don't do well at all! I've got 3 paphs with, what I believe is water damage to the leaves. None of my other paphs exhibit this situation even though they get wet from time to time. I try very hard not to wet them but in the course of watering the GH things happen. They always dry within an hour or so. My question is: Is this fungal, bacterial or just dying leaves? I know old paph leaves(recently flowered) die, but this is only on 3 plants and looks more than just leaves past theie prime. In fact you can see that it is affecting some of the newer growth. The leaves where the discoloration is located is dry and just keeps working its way back to the crown.

[clintdawley]

I'm not a Paph expert...but that looks like Bacterial soft rot..try treating it with Physan and some triple anti-biotic ointment on the bad places. This is worrysome as the newer growth and the newest leaves are affected. Wet plants and cooler temps than these are used to can cause that. Mottled-leaf paphs are definite warm growers and most likely want night temps not below 60F.

[Diane]

Definitely not normal. Excise as best you can and spray with fungicide. If no spread after a week you should be okay.

[Gin]

Ditto to the above , not normal , smell the spots bacterial rot stinks (really) .. in the first photo it is almost in the crown ,cut off the leaf as close as possible ..asap. pour crown full of peroxcide let fizz wick out. Gin

[clintdawley]

I agree, it would probably be safest just to cut if off rather than just treat it.

[Bikerdoc5968]

That's what I've been doing....cutting and it keeps progressing. I use bleach and antibacterial soap (RD-20) and it keeps coming back...it's going to consume me...OH MY What to do .... What to do

[Ron-NY]

I agree with the above but I water all my plants overhead but do it early in the day and have good air circulation.

I would cut the leaf into clean tissue and dust the cut with cinnamon or sulfur, although I rarely practice that

I doubt it will spread to the crown

[clintdawley]

Bring out the big guns!!! (Physan, Captan, etc.)

That's what I've been doing....cutting and it keeps progressing. I use bleach and antibacterial soap (RD-20) and it keeps coming back...it's going to consume me...OH MY What to do .... What to do

[Ron-NY]

Is there a big difference between Physan and Bleach? Physan smells like chlorine to me

[Gin]

I will tell what I did with a Phrag , it came up with a stinky rot spread fast , I unpotted it and removed what I could down to one growth used peroxcide to drench it then threw it in a container of diluted Nolvasan solution I think it is a lot like Physan I use Nolvasan for the birds left it to soak for a couple of hours , let dry and potted it in fresh so far so good. I also water over head early in the am . killem or cure them .. Gin