Orange Ascocenda. Then and now. Overcoming Fusarium.

[SillyKeiki]

Hello fellow orchid enthusiasts. I'm here with you today to share this little story.

I bought this Ascocenda in December 2017. They sold it as a Vanda. NoID Vanda (the tag was from "Vanda by Anco"). Extremelly overpriced (50€), but back then I was starting the hobby and anything that arrived to my town other than Phalaenopsis was super expensive. Also I had no idea of what orchids should cost. This was her when she arrived.



Soon, however, the main growth started to die on me. In fact, you can already see the blackening stem on that photograph. Leaves from the center of the stem started to yellow and die, starting from the base. Roots were cracking and dying too. After a lot of research, all seemed to point to Fusarium as the culprit. But I wouldn't know for sure until I cut the stem. If I was wrong, I would kill the mother plant. But if I didn't do anything, the lethal fungal infection would spread to the rest of the plant.

I was forced to make a painful decision.



I cut the mother plant. And there, indeed, was the fateful purple ring. I kept on sterilizing and cutting until the stem was clean. I tried to save what was left of the mother plant, but it was in vain. It wasn't big enough to put up roots. The next question was this one: would the daughter plant be able to survive? Had I managed to cut away all the infection? Or had something remained and was the rest of the orchid doomed as well? Would the infection spread to my Phals?

I bought a fungicide and sprayed all my collection. And I took care of my poor Ascocenda as well as I could.

Today, eight months later, this is her:







A ton of new roots, new flowers and new leaves (even if mutated/deformed). Fusarium is completely gone.

I have literally cried over this orchid, and seeing her bloom again brings hope into my sad heart.

Never give up on an orchid!

PS: What do you think she would be? Ascocenda suksamran sunlight? Ascocenda arthorn orange? Ascocenda fuchs sunglow?

[Bud]

I admire your patience! You did not give up on your orchid....and managed to bloom the offspring. Hopefully all will be well. You have a hybrid and they are good survivors.

[rbarata]

Somebody here once told me: while there's green, there's hope!

[SillyKeiki]

Thank you. Although I must say, after this incident I learned my lesson forever. Every plant I buy gets quarantined, repotted and sprayed with a triple action fungicide/acaricide/insecticide.

I know there are some people against using chamicals or preventive treatments on their plants and that is perfectly fine. But I'd rather have my orchids poisoned than risking a disease outbreak.

[camille1585]

Fantastic save, well done! I don't think it happns often that plants are saved from Fusarium.

Originally Posted by SillyKeiki

Thank you. Although I must say, after this incident I learned my lesson forever. Every plant I buy gets quarantined, repotted and sprayed with a triple action fungicide/acaricide/insecticide.

I know there are some people against using chamicals or preventive treatments on their plants and that is perfectly fine. But I'd rather have my orchids poisoned than risking a disease outbreak.

Overuse of chemicals is also how micro-organisms and insects develop resistances to them, and its an ever increasing problem... That is one of the main reasons why people are against preventative treatment. A long enough and properly done quarantine period should be more than sufficient to insure that the new plants doesn't bring in any unwanted guests into the collection.