In Orchid Care The Flower
Will Tell You About
Some Diseases

Tale for orchid care the flower. The orchid flower is usually a thing of beauty. When diseases strike it can be tell - tale. Like the leaves, the flower can tell you a great deal. Let's take a look at what we will learn.

Spotting of Flowers

A sign of fungal infection or mold is pink or light brown spots on the flower. When you see either, orchid care will suggest to be careful with your other plants as the infection can spread to other plants.

Remove the orchid flowers that are affected. The remedy is to get more circulation.

Flowers With Punctures

Yes, those aphids can get at orchids, too. Also, some insects including Thrips.

Orchid care the flower suggests that the remedy is spray the orchid with malathion, but be careful and use a face mask and gloves.

Flowers With Mottled Colors

With respect to flower color variation I suggest getting a second opinion from an orchid expert. Flower mottling or striation can come from breeding or a mutation. Or the cause could be a virus. If a virus is suspected then it is best to isolate the plant from other plants. If it is a virus some might recommend destroying the plant. However for a small collection or a non commmercial grower this is not really necessary.

Bruised Flowers

The causes of bruising are many. It could simply be from mechanical injury. If this is the case the area of damage will not increase or go on to other flowers.

But it could also be from slugs or even cockroaches. You may need to investigate and use some thing to deal with them like dust or to bait them. If from cockroaches then diazinon or Sevin on the ground around the plant, on the plant and the pot as well.

Caring for orchids also shows that the bruising can be from red aphids. If so, use the malathion treatment.

Rapid Wilting Of The Flower

If you see wilting of the flower, especially the dorsal or upper septal this can be caused by a sudden temperature change or pollination from an "unknown" pollinator. (I didn't think orchid flowers were that particular!!)

The remedies are those that make sense, moderate the temp changes and remove the affected flowers. Not sure what to do for the unknown attacker.

Deformed Flowers

Caring for orchids is not complete without the a word about deformed orchids. Common causes include;

low humidity or high temp when the buds were developing
mechanical or chemical injury during bud formation
the bud has acquired an unexplained deformity
the potential of a virus infection, (you see many of the flowers have the deformity). Need to isolate the plant.

Caring for orchids does involve looking at the "whole plant". In orchid care the flower is important.

In Orchid Care The Flower Will Tell You About Some Diseases

In Orchid Care The Flower
Will Tell You About
Some Diseases