I took my phalaenopsis orchid to get it replanted after another errand
yesterday. I left it in my car while I went in (for about an hour). I
then went and got it re-planted. When I brought it home I noticed that
the leaves had dark green sections on them and were slightly limp. I
figured that spending time in my hot car was what hurt them. I hoped it
would heal over night, but it did not. I'm afraid I have really damaged
the plant because today the areas are browning slightly.

Two pictures can be found at the following urls
(untill september 18th '05):

http://thecave.no-ip.com/temp/orchid1.jpg
http://thecave.no-ip.com/temp/orchid2.jpg

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

-Geoff

On 18 Aug 2005 08:21:36 -0700 in .com wrote:
I took my phalaenopsis orchid to get it replanted after another errand
yesterday. I left it in my car while I went in (for about an hour). I
then went and got it re-planted. When I brought it home I noticed that
the leaves had dark green sections on them and were slightly limp. I
figured that spending time in my hot car was what hurt them. I hoped it
would heal over night, but it did not. I'm afraid I have really damaged
the plant because today the areas are browning slightly.

Two pictures can be found at the following urls
(untill september 18th '05):

http://thecave.no-ip.com/temp/orchid1.jpg
http://thecave.no-ip.com/temp/orchid2.jpg


That's a Dendrobium, not a Phaleonopsis.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

You'll lose the sunburned leaves, however you have new canes
that doesn't look fried and they'll be the ones producing new blooms.

-Geoff



--
Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil

Geoff wrote ...
I took my phalaenopsis orchid to get it replanted after another errand
yesterday. I left it in my car while I went in (for about an hour). I
then went and got it re-planted. When I brought it home I noticed that
the leaves had dark green sections on them and were slightly limp. I
figured that spending time in my hot car was what hurt them. I hoped it
would heal over night, but it did not. I'm afraid I have really damaged
the plant because today the areas are browning slightly.

Two pictures can be found at the following urls
(untill september 18th '05):

http://thecave.no-ip.com/temp/orchid1.jpg
http://thecave.no-ip.com/temp/orchid2.jpg

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Firstly the pictures are of a Dendrobium not a Phalaenopsis and it looks
like a D.nobile hybrid which don't like it too hot as they are cool growing
plants. Don't worry too much, the young leaves look healthier and the old
leaves will fall off anyway.
http://www.sdorchids.com/den_nobi.htm
It looks like you didn't give it a totally dry rest last winter because it
has produced a new young plant on it's stem, I suspect instead of flowers.
Do some searching on Dendrobium nobile for proper care, they must have a
cool dry rest in winter to flower properly.

Phalaenopsis don't grow stems like that at all, they are flat plants with
leathery leaves in a rosette from the centre of which a flowering stem
grows.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

Thank you both very much. I (obviously) didn't know enough about my
plant. I was told by the man who sold it to my friend that it was a
Phalaenopsis so I looked up care instructions on that assumption. I
will now keep better track of how I care for it. My room doesn't get
any direct sunlight, so I started to put it in the sun out back during
the day. Perhaps this contributed to its overheating? Should I move it
to an area of the house where it is both cooler, and gets some direct
light, or is the indirect light of my room okay?

Thanks again for the help.

On 18 Aug 2005 11:26:18 -0700 in .com Geoff wrote:
Thank you both very much. I (obviously) didn't know enough about my
plant. I was told by the man who sold it to my friend that it was a
Phalaenopsis so I looked up care instructions on that assumption. I
will now keep better track of how I care for it. My room doesn't get
any direct sunlight, so I started to put it in the sun out back during
the day. Perhaps this contributed to its overheating? Should I move it
to an area of the house where it is both cooler, and gets some direct
light, or is the indirect light of my room okay?

It's probably a Phal type Dendrobium. Whether it is or not is a question
better answered when it was blooming (This will also answer whether or not
it's a Nobile. With what looks like a cut inflorescence on the biggest cane,
I'd assume not). Certain times of year Phal type Dendrobiums are shipped
to grocers and such as "Phaleonopsis" and since most people assume it's
"live cut flowers" they don't care, they expect it to be dead shortly anyways.

Dendrobiums vary quite a bit as far as what they like.
Google for "Dendrobium culture" and take a peak at the culture sheets.
Unfortunately, the AOS sheets I've seen on the web don't indicate light
levels. A google for "Dendrobium culture foot candles" provides light
level information. If you're anal, pester a photographer friend
to borrow his light meter. Otherwise go by the "Does this look like a
happy vigorous plant?" rule of thumb.
If you can figure out some way to provide shade around noon,
having the plant outside may work very well.

Do not suddenly bring the plant into an area with high light levels.
Gradually change them. No, I haven't figured out how to do this very
well when bringing plants out doors.


--
Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil

Geoff,

I agree with Chris. Bright, but not direct light is most likely what this
plant wants, and it is not a Nobile. I noticed that the plant is potted in
moss, unless that is just a top dressing. If indeed it is in moss, you will
need to be very careful not to over water it. The 'canes' are pseudobulbs,
and they hold moisture and nutrients for the plant's use. Dends like to dry
out between waterings, but don't let that moss get bone dry, since it would
then be difficult to rehydrate.

A final note: you have a new plant growing from one of the canes. When the
roots get long enough, you can snap it off and pot it up. Is there a tag in
the pot, by the way? That would offer more insight into your plant.

Enjoy!

Diana

"Diana Kulaga" wrote
I agree with Chris. Bright, but not direct light is most likely what this
plant wants, and it is not a Nobile. I noticed that the plant is potted in
moss, unless that is just a top dressing. If indeed it is in moss, you
will need to be very careful not to over water it. The 'canes' are
pseudobulbs, and they hold moisture and nutrients for the plant's use.
Dends like to dry out between waterings, but don't let that moss get bone
dry, since it would then be difficult to rehydrate.

A final note: you have a new plant growing from one of the canes. When the
roots get long enough, you can snap it off and pot it up. Is there a tag
in the pot, by the way? That would offer more insight into your plant.


If it's a Dendrobium phalaenopsis type, and now I've looked again at the cut
flower spike I agree it's likely, then good luck to you. I've always found
them difficult as I haven't got a hot house with humidifiers to keep them
in.
They come from tropical Queensland originally but are grown commercially all
over the humid tropics.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London