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Please help! Are these molds on my orchid root?

11 years ago

Hi Everyone,

I just got a new paphiopedilum in hydroculture a few days ago through mail order. It is called Ghostly Pulsar. Today, while I was observing the buds, I found a fallen petal on the clay aggregate...when I picked it up to discard, I saw this white mold like thing on what I think is root...but from what I read, I thought orchids grown in hydroculture pot rarely have root rot problems because they are water roots?

The orchid was received on wed, and I watered them according to the instruction(half way between opt/min on the water guage)...and never watered it again or even misted....the window exposure is more Southern exposure(it is actually western exposure, but a mirror building in front reflects all morning sun....so it is bright all day like southern exposure) with shaded windows(dots on windows to provide shading)...and I live in Las vegas, NV, where it is dry year round...and no humidifier at home....

Can someone please help me identify if these are molds, and if they are, what should I do next?

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Comments (12)

Hoyabeginner
Original Author
11 years ago
This is another photo of the full plant with the flower bud.
me_171
11 years ago
It is hard to tell from the photo but I have had similar situations and decided it is just salt build up from fertilizer or hard water. It should rinse off with a good soaking next time you water. But like I said it is hard to tell from the photo.
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Mold means too much water. You may have needed to change the potting mix. Even though you were not watering that much, the mix may have broken down and would have held water longer. But, as has been pointed out, bugs could have been responsible. If so, and considering your condition, the first would have been to unpot all and hand clean with soap and water. Then, repot with new mix. I purchased a rubbermaid type, as clear as I could find, container - like the kind used for storing clothes - with lid. Spray the plant with insecticide - I use Bayer - and place them in the container with the lid on for a few days. Checking to see that they are ok. Keeping them well lit but not in direct sun. This will help them to recover and it will keep the bug poison contained to the plant. Works great.
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Your orchid is fine, the only thing that is dead is the old flowering spike. Cut it off at the base. You have to provide conditions that will encourage the plant to commence growing a new spike. Perhaps the plant is not getting enough light and temperature variation. Some light reading in the link. If you can give further details about where the plant is growing/watering/how far from window/fertilizer and so on, more info. will come from other forum members. Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Forum FAQ.
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Thanks...I was just thinking that it would be worse in the pot. It is my favorite orchid...had it for a while now. Guess I'll just keep an eye on it.
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Hi Kelly and Evelyn - you might look through the SWROGA website http://swroga.org/ which is a bunch of local (LA, TX, MS, ARK, etc.) societies. It lists member societies by state and I think tells when/where they meet. I put off visiting my local (Acadian) orchid society for years because I thought it would be way too highbrow for me - au contraire! Best place to get really specific info for your area - the COS site is fine, but does it really apply to us in zones 9/10? I've never even seen a Zygopetalum, though I know a person or two who's killed one. Too hot here; they die a lingering painful death. Locals will give you the best advice about what will/won't grow in your area. And the New Orleans society does have a really dazzling show - this year it was in June. We are lucky enough to be able to grow our orchids outside most of the year, so long as we pick the ones that will be happy with 10 months of summer. There might be another society in the general N.O. area, (Metairie?) not sure - it might have been dismantled by Katrina. Hope this helps - visit your local society! Regards - Nancy
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Hoyabeginner
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi! Thank you for your reply....I think it looks like mold(but I have very limited knowledge on this)...I most certainly hope it is just salt...here is another closeup.
{{gwi:153250}}
jane__ny
11 years ago
The plant does not look good to me. Looks like rot going on. I would try to get my money back on it. I might be wrong, but those photos are hard to see. Maybe try taking the picture further back.

Jane
tolumniamatt
11 years ago
Difficult to tell what it is. I do not think it is mold but I could be wrong. Looks too fuzzy to be hard water buildup. Could it be mealybug? I'm not sure I've ever seen mealybug on a paph.

The plant does not look too horrible to me.
westoh Z6
11 years ago
My thoughts also, mealies... Yes, I've seen them on paphs :(
Look for very small white spots around the leaf axis' that seem to move from day to day, that be the youngin's...

I'd seperate it from the herd until the white fuzz is gone.

If that is a new paph, I'd be very unhappy with the seller...

Good luck,

Bob
Hoyabeginner
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi Everyone,

Thank you all for your reply. The smaller bud fell :( I did try to email the seller, who told me to rinse it with water or H2O2 to remove the rot...I rinsed it with water....the white stuff disappeared....then appeared again....I touched the root, and it was hollow....

THEN, I SAW MEALY BUGS CRAWLING!!!! I don't know what to do...I have never seen them...but the white fuzzy stuff are moving...so they have to be mealy bugs?
westoh Z6
11 years ago
For a single plant, I'd do my best to manually remove them all with alocohol (or H2O2) and a q-tip. Do this 3 times in a 2-3 week period so you can get the young right after they hatch and before they can lay more eggs.

Do seperate it from others during this period.

Again, good luck,

Bob
tamela_star
11 years ago
I had a really bad mealy bug break out a couple years ago. They were so out of control that I lost some of my plants to them. I was constantly squirting them down with warm soapy water, but hey would come back a few days later. I also picked them off off the plants as I saw them come back. Eventually, the mealy bugs won and I had to restart my collection. If I ever see them again, I'll go buy they pesticide from the garden center instead of trying home remedies for those pests. Good luck and definitely check your other plants and keep the infected plant speperate from the others. They spread quickly.
margoinchicago
11 years ago
If you use a topical pesticide like alcohol or listerine, it's important to douse the entire plant, roots and leaves (and medium). The eggs and larvae are everywhere.
A systemic pesticide is the best option I think.
Hoyabeginner
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi Bob and everyone else,

Thank you for your tips and regards! I contacted the buyer who was responsible and offered to ship another orchid and asked me to dispose it to prevent spreading of the mealie bugs....and spray all of my other plants with neem oil, which I am able to buy today....

As a preventive, I sprayed everything with soapy solution since the orchid was next to all my other plants for almost a week before I saw the white fuzzy thing and mealy bugs crawling......feel bad of disposing any plants.....orchids seem so fragile......and of course my lack of experience at dealing with any of these....

But thank you to everyone for the wealth of knowledge and support!!!!
westoh Z6
11 years ago
I have successfully dealt with mealies before. You may not have to dispose of it, just keep it away from the others until you're sure the mealies are gone and while treating it with the neem oil.

Bob

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