Long-time lurker here, hoping someone can help me!

My Potinara Hoku Gem 'Sunspots', which I've had for about 3 years, has
recently developed some red spots on it, as well as some brown "bubbly"
blisters. I thought the blisters might be scale, but couldn't just rub
it off, so I scratched one of the blisters, which of course left an
open wound on the plant. There is one leaf which is worse than the
others, and it is completely closed up.

here are some links to pics of the plant:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...otsredarea.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...spotsbumps.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...potsbumps3.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...potsbumps2.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...GSunspots2.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...GSunspots1.jpg

Could the red spots be sun burn? I grow in a south facing window and
have always had the plant in the same spot. None of my other orchids
near it (BLCs) have any problems (yet). I have quaranteened the problem
plant.

What about the brown bubbly blister spots? another form of scale or
another pest, or maybe disease? SHould I just cut off the problem
leaves and dust with cinnamon? Is this something I should worry might
spread to my phrags, brassias, and others, or might they be safe
because they have a different type of leaf?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,
Mary

Do you use grow lights?

I've had some of my Catts get purple spots, others have taken on a
purplish hue, but they seem fine otherwise.
As for the bumps, I am no expert but to me it looks like insect damage.
I have seen similar spots on some of the new orchids I've got.

Jack

Better Safe than sorry

Thanks Jack. Nope -- no room for grow lights.
Mary

Anyone? I know there are a lot of experts here. Please?

I am no expert but this link may help.

www.rv-orchidworks.com/ cultivate/care_pests.html

Looks like you need some Physan and a sharp razor.

Joe T

On 24 Apr 2006 07:35:29 -0700, "jtill" wrote:

I am no expert but this link may help.

www.rv-orchidworks.com/ cultivate/care_pests.html

Looks like you need some Physan and a sharp razor.

Joe T


Red suggests too much sun for this plant at this time. Could be the
balance of light=water=food is off. I would move it a touch further
from your light source.
Brown and wet blisters sounds like a problem that is probably not an
insect caused. As Joe says Sharp Razor = one time use. Cut back in
the good stuff. To cut off the bad. Use cinnamon to dust the cuts.
Use Physan to kill the fungus spores around the area before you cut.

Isolate the plant from the others and keep an eye on it. Cinnamon
(yes, from the spice drawer) is a very good wound sealer and healing
aid. IF the area at the cut starts getting this same marking you did
not cut enough margin and left some of the infected tissue. OR it is
spreading. If it is not a special meaning plant and a lot of it is
involved - it might be best to cut your losses and toss this one so
the rest don't pick it up.

Make sure water does not bounce off this plant onto others that are
not effected.

Good luck.


SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/main.php

wrote:

Thanks Jack. Nope -- no room for grow lights.
Mary


I looked at your pictures the first time and didn't know what to think.
I just went back and looked at all of them again. If you want my
opinion, here you go:

The red seen in your first picture looks like nothing to worry about at
all. If that red happens to turn into dead brown (I really doubt that it
will) then I change my vote.
The raised areas seen in your 3rd picture are also nothing to worry
about. You refer to them as blisters. A blister would be liquidy inside.
These were pretty solid inside, weren't they?
I'm more concerned about the brown patches. You don't really describe
those in your first post unless the pictures are fooling me and those
areas are raised also. I think I'm seeing brown patches that are not
raised and are either flat or slightly sunken. Those look like a fungus
to me. If that was my plant, I would probably take it outside on the
next nice day and spray it with a systemic fungicide. I would then hope
and expect that the disease would stop spreading. If you don't own a
fungicide (or maybe even if you do) you could cut away the brown
patches. I might even snap off that worst growth (seen in the 4th and
the last picture) near the base.
Will it spread to your other plants? No way to know, but it will not
spread if you get rid of the disease.

Steve

Hi there Mary & welcome. You have received some good advice but if
it were my plant, I would go one step further & repot it. Wash the roots
well & spray with a Physan solution 1/2 tsp in a spray bottle (1quart of water?)
Do not let your plant sit in water as too wet leads to rot etc.
Come back & let us know how she goes.
--
Cheers Wendy

Remove PETERPAN for email reply

wrote:
Long-time lurker here, hoping someone can help me!

My Potinara Hoku Gem 'Sunspots', which I've had for about 3 years, has
recently developed some red spots on it, as well as some brown
"bubbly" blisters. I thought the blisters might be scale, but
couldn't just rub it off, so I scratched one of the blisters, which
of course left an open wound on the plant. There is one leaf which is
worse than the others, and it is completely closed up.

here are some links to pics of the plant:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...otsredarea.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...spotsbumps.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...potsbumps3.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...potsbumps2.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...GSunspots2.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...GSunspots1.jpg

Could the red spots be sun burn? I grow in a south facing window and
have always had the plant in the same spot. None of my other orchids
near it (BLCs) have any problems (yet). I have quaranteened the
problem plant.

What about the brown bubbly blister spots? another form of scale or
another pest, or maybe disease? SHould I just cut off the problem
leaves and dust with cinnamon? Is this something I should worry might
spread to my phrags, brassias, and others, or might they be safe
because they have a different type of leaf?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,
Mary

Thanks everyone! I'll keep her quarantined (just in case...) and since
it's getting to be nice weather here in New England, will take her
outside to spray & repot very soon. Steve -- all of the brown patches
are the "raised blisters".
Mary