Hi....I know very little about orchids. I was gifted this in early June...cut the bloom stalk off when the flowers died. This leaf (just this one of the 8 or 10 leaves it has) has these white spots and something on the tip. It was never been in direct light so I know it isn't sun burn. Fungal? Help pls.
The dots look like some sort of mechanical damage; the closest thing I've seen to them are little scrapes on a leaf that i had next to a cactus. The tip definitely looks fungal. Check for root rot, treat with hydrogen peroxide where you see rot, and be careful with watering (make sure roots dry out after watering, don't get water in the crown.) That leaf will likely die back, but you may be able to save part of it by cutting off the visible fungal part plus about one inch around it with sterilized cutters
3 J'aimeAnd since you're new to orchids: if the care tag told you to water it with ice cubes, don't. Orchids are tropicals and should never be exposed to freezing temperatures
3 J'aime Thanks! No idea how mechanical damage would have happened, unless it was there when I got it and didn't notice. I would love for it to rebloom so I am trying to keep it healthy!
1 j'aimeDid the dots recently appear, or have they been there a while? Are they raised, or kind of indented into the leaves? Any chance they are scale? 😬
1 j'aime I just noticed them, so not sure how long they have been there. They are smooth to the touch and a few look more indented.
0 J'aimeIf they aren’t raised, not scale infestation. Keep an eye on it for the next few days, if the spots increase or get bigger, it’s an ongoing issue. If they stay the same, it’s probably mechanical, and looks pretty healed and stable, and I wouldn’t worry. Good luck!
3 J'aime