One of my Phals has a new leaf that is almost completely bright red (I can't
see any green on it). This leaf is still fairly small, so I assume/hope it
will turn green when it grows larger. This Phal is in a rather shady place
(it may be getting a little too little light). This plant lost a couple
leaves earlier this year, and then grew this one new red leaf. Any ideas on
what I could do to encourage it to grow a green leaf? Any ideas on what may
have caused this leaf to be red?

Thanks,
Joanna

P.S.: Currently this seems to be the most problematic thing that any of my
orchids is experiencing. Other than this all of them seem to be doing
exceedingly well. :-)

Red new-growth leaves are common in phals that have red pigments (anthocyanin) in them for flowering
red, purple, pink, etc. They tend to green up as they mature. Such coloration is also seen in
those same plants when exposed to too much sunlight (I liken it to a tan), or when exposed to
excessive cold in the winter - neither of which is likely in your situation. Nothing to worry
about,

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"J Fortuna" wrote in message
...
One of my Phals has a new leaf that is almost completely bright red (I can't
see any green on it). This leaf is still fairly small, so I assume/hope it
will turn green when it grows larger. This Phal is in a rather shady place
(it may be getting a little too little light). This plant lost a couple
leaves earlier this year, and then grew this one new red leaf. Any ideas on
what I could do to encourage it to grow a green leaf? Any ideas on what may
have caused this leaf to be red?

Thanks,
Joanna

P.S.: Currently this seems to be the most problematic thing that any of my
orchids is experiencing. Other than this all of them seem to be doing
exceedingly well. :-)

Thank you, Ray. I suspected that it wasn't something to worry about, but I
thought I would ask just in case -- since it is soooo red.
Joanna

"Ray" wrote in message
...
Red new-growth leaves are common in phals that have red pigments
(anthocyanin) in them for flowering
red, purple, pink, etc. They tend to green up as they mature. Such
coloration is also seen in
those same plants when exposed to too much sunlight (I liken it to a tan),
or when exposed to
excessive cold in the winter - neither of which is likely in your
situation. Nothing to worry
about,

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

. . . . . . . . . . .
"J Fortuna" wrote in message
...
One of my Phals has a new leaf that is almost completely bright red (I
can't
see any green on it). This leaf is still fairly small, so I assume/hope
it
will turn green when it grows larger. This Phal is in a rather shady
place
(it may be getting a little too little light). This plant lost a couple
leaves earlier this year, and then grew this one new red leaf. Any ideas
on
what I could do to encourage it to grow a green leaf? Any ideas on what
may
have caused this leaf to be red?

Thanks,
Joanna

P.S.: Currently this seems to be the most problematic thing that any of
my
orchids is experiencing. Other than this all of them seem to be doing
exceedingly well. :-)

J Fortuna wrote:

Thank you, Ray. I suspected that it wasn't something to worry about, but I
thought I would ask just in case -- since it is soooo red.
Joanna




Not a phal, but the most beautiful leaves I've ever seen are on Pot.
Thubtim Thai - brilliant purple/red. And perfectly healthy... Of
course that was in high light conditions, and now that I've moved them
to my substantially more shady tent city they have faded back to green.
When I get the greenhouse up I'm moving them back into high light, and
I'll grow them just for color. Don't care what the flowers look like.

I haven't seen them bloom, but out of about 50 plants, all had intensely
purple foliage. There should be a special AOS award for foliage...

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
LittlefrogFarm is open - e-mail me for a list )

Thubthim Thai btw. Haven't been able to find a picture of it yet, however.

Cheers,
Xi

Rob Halgren wrote:
J Fortuna wrote:

Thank you, Ray. I suspected that it wasn't something to worry about,
but I
thought I would ask just in case -- since it is soooo red.
Joanna




Not a phal, but the most beautiful leaves I've ever seen are on Pot.
Thubtim Thai - brilliant purple/red. And perfectly healthy... Of
course that was in high light conditions, and now that I've moved them
to my substantially more shady tent city they have faded back to green.
When I get the greenhouse up I'm moving them back into high light, and
I'll grow them just for color. Don't care what the flowers look like.

I haven't seen them bloom, but out of about 50 plants, all had intensely
purple foliage. There should be a special AOS award for foliage...

Rob

On Fri, 02 Jul 2004 09:27:29 -0400, Rob Halgren
wrote:


I haven't seen them bloom, but out of about 50 plants, all had intensely
purple foliage. There should be a special AOS award for foliage...

Rob

So suggest it - Your a Judge.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

"J Fortuna" wrote in message
...
Thank you, Ray. I suspected that it wasn't something to worry about, but I
thought I would ask just in case -- since it is soooo red.
Joanna

"Ray" wrote in message
...
Red new-growth leaves are common in phals that have red pigments
(anthocyanin) in them for flowering
red, purple, pink, etc. They tend to green up as they mature. Such
coloration is also seen in
those same plants when exposed to too much sunlight (I liken it to a
tan),
or when exposed to
excessive cold in the winter - neither of which is likely in your
situation. Nothing to worry
about,

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

. . . . . . . . . . .
"J Fortuna" wrote in message
...
One of my Phals has a new leaf that is almost completely bright red (I
can't
see any green on it). This leaf is still fairly small, so I
assume/hope
it
will turn green when it grows larger. This Phal is in a rather shady
place
(it may be getting a little too little light). This plant lost a
couple
leaves earlier this year, and then grew this one new red leaf. Any
ideas
on
what I could do to encourage it to grow a green leaf? Any ideas on
what
may
have caused this leaf to be red?

Thanks,
Joanna

P.S.: Currently this seems to be the most problematic thing that any
of
my
orchids is experiencing. Other than this all of them seem to be doing
exceedingly well. :-)
\


Unless you have recently treated your collection with some sort of a
pesticide, in which case red leaves = sudden death.

K Barrett

Kathy,
No, I did not treat my collection with a pesticide -- I did treat one orchid
for a mealybug earlier this year, but that was a single bug and a single
plant (not this one). Besides it could not be sudden death because I am not
capable of killing orchids, though I can easily kill other houseplants. ;-)
Joanna

"K Barrett" wrote in message
news:bFmFc.16123$Oq2.1022@attbi_s52...
Unless you have recently treated your collection with some sort of a
pesticide, in which case red leaves = sudden death.

K Barrett

"J Fortuna" schrieb im Newsbeitrag ...
Besides it could not be sudden death because I am not
capable of killing orchids, though I can easily kill other houseplants. ;-)

That's only because you haven't bought any really expensive ones yet. Wait and see!
--
Reka

This is LIFE! It's not a rehearsal. Don't miss it!
http://www.rolbox.it/hukari/index.html



---
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"Reka" wrote in message
news

"J Fortuna" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
Besides it could not be sudden death because I am not
capable of killing orchids, though I can easily kill other houseplants.
;-)

That's only because you haven't bought any really expensive ones yet.
Wait and see!
--
Reka


Ha! Too true! LOL!!

K Barrett

Susan Erickson wrote:

On Fri, 02 Jul 2004 09:27:29 -0400, Rob Halgren
wrote:



I haven't seen them bloom, but out of about 50 plants, all had intensely
purple foliage. There should be a special AOS award for foliage...

Rob



So suggest it - Your a Judge.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php


A very junior one... Actually there is a suitable award, which would be
a JC (judges commendation), you can give that for any feature you find
to be 'worthy of recognition' with less regard to the quality of the
flower. I think it would probably still need a flower on it to qualify
for judging, though. So, with one not hideous flower, you could give
the plant a JC for unusual leaf color. Bizzare... Anyway, I'm going to
start breeding for leaf color, since I see the leaves 12 months of the
year and the flowers less often than that.

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
LittlefrogFarm is open - e-mail me for a list )