dendrobium in trouble. any suggestions?

[Nick_M]

I bought this Dendrobium nobile a few weeks ago and thought it was doing just fine until a few days ago, when the new offshoot started shedding leaves and rotting from the inside out. This happened to my first (and now dead, I think) nobile. Any ideas as to what's happening to it?

[Angurek]

My only suggestion is to cut off the rotting growth and dust the lesion with cinnamon. If you suspect it's spreading through your collection, isolate the affected plants. The plant in the pic looks pretty healthy otherwise, though, so I'm sure it'll make it.

I think the problem was caused by a fungal infection due to water sitting in the leaf axils. If you tend to water late in the day, you might want to do so earlier so that the water on the foliage has time to evaporate.

I hope that helps. Good luck.

[iceicebaby]

Hi the same thing happened to my plant.I had left it indoor close to the window.So the plant was getting diffuse sunlight.The leaves were light green and a bit soft like yours. One night it rained and I was late in realizing that some water was left on the axial area.It started a crown rot and I lost that pseudobulb. But as suggested cutting the affected part and applying an antifungal will surely help

[stefpix]

I wonder if in nature the leaves grow pointing downwards. upside down compared to the way they are grown in pots. with the heavy downpours of the rainy season all the dendrobiums in the wild would rot with this rationale...

[iceicebaby]

Well let me hazard a guess here or rather try to put forth an explanation. If the plant as a rule is getting rain on its leaves on a regular basis then they are better suited to handle it. This is just my observation.I am no expert.

[stefpix]

Also I noticed in the sub/tropics often it rains heavily at night or in the evening in the summer and stays very humid. leaves stay wet at night sometimes

[Connie Star]

Aren't Den. nobiles winter deciduous? But I have one that is putting out new leaves rather than shedding. Either I am confused, or it is.

[Nick_M]

Crown rot seems to make sense. I water at the base of my plants, so the leaves usually stay dry. However, about two weeks ago I noticed some spider mites, and after doing some reading (and not being able to get out and buy pesticide), I sprayed it with rubbing alcohol these past two Saturday mornings. The rot coincided with that last spraying, so I hope that's what caused it. Lesson learned.