Phal leaves turning yellow, wrinkled and they have white spots.
 

Hello!

So I'm back from my 4 week holiday to Africa but it seems that my orchids weren't very happy about me going away and leaving them in the care of a friendly neighbor. Especially my first orchid a noid Phals seems to be suffering.
The lowest 5 leaves had turned yellowish, wrinkled and had tiny, tiny white spots. Some newer roots had shrived up. And it seems that the newest leaf is starting to show signs of infection.
I am not sure is it suffering of too much water, too little water, cold or if it just missed me too much ;)

I don't want to ask my neighbor about it cause I don't want her to feel like I'm blaming her.. So here is what I know: The plant was dry when I got home. but some other ones were basically swimming in water! It also seems that the blinds had been closed so the plants hadn't gotten a lot of sun light and the heating was barley on in the house..
I think that its probably the combination of cold and water being left in the crown of the plant and it has formed some rot somewhere.

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Any suggestions?

I removed the lower leaves.. but I wouldn't want to remove the newest leaf if it will stunt the growth(?)
and I was planing on using some listerine as a first aid to the leaves that are infected.

Thanks so much!

<3 PinkCloud

I would keep as many leaves as possible. My gues would be cold damage.

It looks like the bottom leaf is just being sluffed off. It is normal for this to occur. It is usually best to let the plant sever its own leaves unless they are feeling mushy.

I think you might be right RobS.. Its been like -10 here when I was "enjoying" 47 in the shade in Namibia!! Is there anything I could do for the plant? I suppose cold damage is one of those things that you have to just sit tight and hope for the best.

Thanks Ted for the advice. Do you know what the tiny tiny white spots on the tip of the leaf could be? (in the first picture) I tried rubbing them off but it didn't seem to help.

I would agree with the comments above. I'm not sure what the white dots are, but they may just be part of the normal look of a leaf that is dying back.

I can't see anything wrong in the third picture. What makes you think this one has a problem in the crown, I must be missing something :blushing:

If some of the other leaves are dehydrated they may pick up, or they may stay 'leathery'. I used to think that once they got very dehydrated they would always be limp, but I noticed recently that one I had made notes about being fully floppy and leathery, and have pictures showing just that, has become firm and strong and completely recovered. I think it can depend how far they have gone.

I am not quite sure about the white dots.

Thanks Rosie. Fingers crossed the leaf will recover.

In the third pic the leaf is starting to get wrinkled in the crown of the plant.. You can sort of make it out.. its on the left leaf, the lighter color..
But I do admit.. It could be me just over reacting! :D I seem to have a tendency to be one of those "the cup is half empty" types. lol

As far as I can see it looks OK to me. I can't be 100% but I don't think I would be worrying.

Good to hear.. I'll put a picture up in a few weeks if it gets worse.