The new leaf on my Phal is splitting

[desertgal]

I have a branching Phal that was in bloom for about 4 months. I cut the spikes back and what looked like 2 new leaves started. Acutually it is one leaf that is coming in split right down the center. Is there anyway to stop the splitting? It has slowed up and is not growing as fast. It also dropped 2 of the older leaves and only has 2 large leaves and the splitting one left.
The stem that the leaves grow from is rather tall. I am going to repot it, should I pot it to where the 2 large leaves begin? Although there are a lot of dead air roots, I can see large green roots in the pot. The potting mix seems to be broken down and I purchased a new bark mix to plant it in. I plan on putting fertiziler in the water when I repot it and will use SuperThrive as soon as it arrives. I would like to save this Phal. It's blooms are green and a little unusual.

[orchid-man]

dropping of keaves is quite normal,The splitting of a new leaf is not but I cannot think of a way to stop it.If you can post a pic we will be of more help

[Diane]

I've never had one split down the middle, I did have a couple that sort of 'got hung up' as they were growing and the developed a side split. But they remaind healthy.

[desertgal]

Hi...thanks for the input. I just repotted it this morning and it had so many big healthy roots that I had to go to a much larger pot. The normal leaves are 2 1/2 inches wide and 3 1/2 inches long, very rounded. The leaf seems to be splitting right where the 'seam' would be.

[Diane]

It certainly looks happy to me. I would guess it's just one of the weird things that happen some time. I doubt it will affect the strength or blooming of the plant.

[orchid-man]

it sure is unusual as to looking fine just leave it .

[Piper]

Whoa, that is weird! But Phals can do weird things. When splitting does occur, it's usually from the base upward on an outer leaf. The orchid grows so fast, that the oldest outer leaf is too small diameter, and the bigger trunk causes it to split to accomodate the larger girth.

That's clearly not what's going on here, but it's useful to file away. It does happen.

I don't think your leaf has done this based on any culture your giving it or not. I'd go easy on Superthrive, though. It's useful, but too much can elicit weird growth habits. Just keep doing all the right Phal stuff (sounds like you are) and see what it does for you.

Julie

[Brenda3355]

"When splitting does occur, it's usually from the base upward on an outer leaf. The orchid grows so fast, that the oldest outer leaf is too small diameter, and the bigger trunk causes it to split to accomodate the larger girth."


I have had two phalaenopsis plants where this has happened, that the lowest leaf split from the trunk of the plant. Maybe an inch of the leaf was pulled away from the trunk. My question is that inch or so of leaf that is pulled away from the trunk has a black dirt-like look along this edge. Is this a fungus? What should I do? I'd hate to clip off one of its four leaves and then the part along the trunk may still have black stuff after I remove the leaf.

[jspencer]

I had one do the exact same thing. A new leaf came out soon afterward which did not split. It never seemed to affect the plant in its growth. I figured it was my fault for giving it too much sun and not enough water over the winter. Yours looks happy.