Orchid Yellow Leaves? Learn How To Solve This Common Problem
An orchid whose leaves begin to turn yellow is not an uncommon problem so dont panic if this begins to happen to your first orchid plant.
Yellowing orchid leaves are a good indicator that your plant is stressed and needs some attention.
First it is good to recognize that the aging process will turn some leaves yellow and allow them to fall off the plant. If the leaves that are yellow are located on the lower part of the plant, it is doubtful you have any problems.
In contrast, yellow orchid leaves may indicate your plant has some type of disease. If the yellowing appears as spots on the leaves and if these spots are outlined in black, then you have a fungus problem.
To control fungus, purchase some Physan and apply as directed and you should see begin to clear up.
Another cause of yellow orchid leaves is too much sunshine. Orchids love and need plenty of sunlight but not too much or too little. Too much intense sunlight can burn the leaves and this shows up as yellow spots.
Too much sunlight is easy to solve. Move your orchid to a place with a bit less light with some daily shade or filtered light. Moving the plant to reduce the intensity of sunlight keeps the problem from continuing but it does eliminate the yellow spots already on the orchids leaves. This will take time.
Finally yellow leaves on an orchid may indicate too much water or the ambient temperature is too cold for the plant.
Check your plant to see if the roots are decaying and water less frequently. If you have severe root decay, repotting may be necessary. Orchids thrive in a temperature range of 60 degrees Fahrenheit to 85 degrees. If your plant is in temperatures outside this range, move it to a more moderate environment.
While yellowing orchid leaves is not something you should ignore, the causes of this problem are usually quite manageable.