Orchid Leaves Tips
While the flowers generally gain most of the attention, the foliage of orchids is critical to their survival. Leaves are the best indicator of whether your plant is healthy and if not, what might be ailing it. This information is useful not only when purchasing an orchid, but when diagnosing an issue with one you already own. Healthy leaves should be firm to the touch, never brittle or mushy. They should be smooth, green, and glossy. Learn these orchid leaves tips.
Leaf Tips and Edges
Examine the tips of the leaves. If there are dry or black areas on the tips and edges, this may be indicative of too much fertilizer. To remedy this, drench the compost with water to rinse away the excess fertilizer. Take care if you have hard water as this may cause a buildup of salts on the growing medium and plant roots. Plain or distilled water will prevent further issues.
Splotches and Dark Leaves
Dark brown splotches on leaves may be due to sunburn. Like our skin, leaves exposed to prolonged direct sunlight may acquire damaged areas. Finding an area with filtered light, increasing the humidity, and adding a fan to move the air and prevent buildup of heat will help.
If your orchid fails to bloom and has foliage that is very dark green, this may be evidence of too little light. Gradually increasing light exposure by either moving it closer to the light source or increasing time exposed to light should remedy the problem.
Remember, orchids do not need light 24 hours per day. Total darkness or constant light (often a factor with plants grown under artificial lighting conditions) are equally destructive.
Wrinkles and Slow Growth
Leaves that appear wrinkled and are not growing or are growing very slowly may indicate over-watering. Further inspection of the roots can reveal root rot, confirming the problem. If the growing media is decayed, repot. Check to see that your container is not too large for the orchid, which could allow water to settle in the media and cause decomposition.
Withered leaves may also be a symptom of under watering. The main differentiation between under and over watering is the condition of the roots. In under watering, the roots will be white and stiff rather than brown and decayed. Unfortunately, if the plant has completely dried out, the roots will be unable to soak up water and the orchid cannot be saved.
Dull Leaves
Foliage that appears dull, accompanied by slow growth and pseudobulbs (swollen portions of stem that hold water) that bulge out of the pot indicates that it is time to divide and repot. Remember, healthy foliage is a lovely, shiny green. If the orchid is sympodial, slice through the stem that attaches the pseudobulbs with a sterile knife or scissors. Preserve healthy pseudobulbs and discard old ones. The new divisions should each have 3 healthy pseudobulbs to promote new growth. Monopodial orchids are more difficult to divide as they don’t grow in clumps as sympodials do. If a tall monopodial has aerial roots, the plant can be cut below the node with the roots with sterile scissors. The top of the plant can then be potted on its own and the bottom will likely generate new growth.
Normal Changes
Remember that the older orchid leaves turn yellow and drop off with age generally when new ones are growing. This is natural and expected.
While appreciating the beauty of the flowers of your orchid, don’t neglect the leaves. Be aware of the attractiveness of a healthy green leaf and the potential problems that can be identified by variances in their texture and appearance.
