What is this on my leaves?

[Paul Mc]

Background: I bought this about a month ago and noticed some discoloration on the leaves but assumed it was from shipping or mishandling. I got it home and examined the roots and a lot of them were dead, so I repotted and cleaned the plant immediately. It's an Epidendrum "Fantasy Valley". Over the course of the next few weeks, many leaves shriveled and died which was not that surprising. However, now many leaves are exhibiting various stages of this zig zag black line, yellowing and wilting. Now, I'm thinking something else is going on. What could it be?!!!

[tucker85]

That looks like a virus to me. Isolate the plant and sterilize any tools that you used on it. I would notify the vendor. Hopefully they will replace the plant. Good luck.

[Paul Mc]

Doubt they will replace it since it was at the gardens. Is there any hope that it will pull through?!

[tucker85]

I could be wrong, but when I see a similar pattern on all the leaves, I think virus. One other possibility is a bacteria or fungus that got into the leaves when they were begining to form and were still curled up. That could cause a pattern also. Keep the orchid isolated and under observation. If it's a virus the plant will usually grow very poorly and look sickly. If it's a bacteria or fungus on a few leaves the plant should grow well unless it spreads. If you have physan 20, you could spray the leaves with that, in hopes that it won't spread. If it's a virus there's nothing you can do but throw it out. There are test kits for virus but I've never used them. Good luck.

[Paul Mc]

Thank you Tucker! I was afraid of a virus as well. Never encountered it. Grabbing my Physan to sterilize now. Not sure it will help it or not, but I removed all questionable leaves by hand, leaving about half. There is tons of new root growth and stalk growth though.

[Paul Mc]

Alright, so I sprayed with Physan but think it looks like a mosaic virus of some sort. I put my cutter blades over the oven flame multiple times and then dipping in water to cool them back down. I read Clorox works, but not sure if bleach does the same thing or not.

[tucker85]

I use an open flame but I've heard that bleach can work also. Years ago I lost about half my orchids to a virus becasue I didn't know about cleaning my tools. I'm sorry you had to deal with this. It's unfortunate that sick plants sometimes get sold.

[Paul Mc]

Oh my!!!! Sorry to hear that!!! Hope I don't have a repeat of your scenario. Good thing I've been reading up on viruses and diseases recently. As soon as I noticed it, I figured it was a virus.

So I guess I'll keep my eyes on it for any further developments since I think I got all of the leaves with visible symptoms. I'm assuming if I see the symptoms again I should say its a virus and pitch it.

[billc]

Bleach is fine if you don't mind the smell, alcohol also will do the trick.
I don't have any experience with virus, but to my simple mind if the plant has a virus you're not going to cure it. It will be lurking there waiting to strike again.

Bill

[Paul Mc]

Yeah, but I drank all the alcohol, lol...

Seriously though, I've read there are no cures for a viruses plant that won't kill it in the end. Its in isolation so we'll see what happens. If the remaining leaves show any signs of the pattern pictured, garbage it goes immediately in the alley.