# Old growth dying off...



## abax (Nov 28, 2014)

of a Phrag. Appalachian something, but it has a healthy new growth about
two inches tall coming along and very good roots. The old growth looks
terrible. Might it be wise to just cut the old growth off completely just
above the level of the medium and get rid of it?


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## NYEric (Nov 29, 2014)

Don't cut it, see if you can pull the dead leaves off, carefully.


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## SlipperFan (Nov 29, 2014)

If the old leaves are still green, I'd keep them until they turned brown. Then I'd carefully cut them off. I don't have good luck with pulling off leaves beside a new growth.


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## abax (Nov 29, 2014)

Neither do I, Dot. I've been trimming the leaves as they browned, but
there's one old leaf and the "stump" still there and not particularly green
anymore. I guess I'm concerned with the bit of "stump". Will I damage
roots if I just cut it off?


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## gonewild (Nov 30, 2014)

Leave the old leaves until the new growth is established. Unless the old leaves are diseased you can assume that the old growth is dying in order to transfer nutrients from the old leaves to the new growth. Perfectly natural in a lot of plants. Many Phrags are terrible about not supporting old growths.


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## Erythrone (Nov 30, 2014)

gonewild said:


> Many Phrags are terrible about not supporting old growths.



Which ones, Lance?


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## gonewild (Nov 30, 2014)

Erythrone said:


> Which ones, Lance?



Specifically kovachii is terrible about not holding the old growths. And I see it with a lot of besseae hybrids also. It's one of the reasons you don't see more divisions of awarded plants offered.


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## SlipperFan (Nov 30, 2014)

I'm glad to hear that, Lance. I have quite a few Phrags that like to die off their old growths.


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## Linus_Cello (Dec 1, 2014)

Interesting that some phrags old growths die off... and then some don't, like this:
http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35661


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## SlipperFan (Dec 1, 2014)

Then again, maybe it's my culture.......


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## gonewild (Dec 1, 2014)

Then again maybe it's genetics and traits inherited from certain species and/or combinations of species.


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## SlipperFan (Dec 2, 2014)

gonewild said:


> Then again maybe it's genetics and traits inherited from certain species and/or combinations of species.



I hope so...


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## abax (Dec 2, 2014)

Old growth dying off to be replaced by new vigorous growth makes sense
to me. Several of my species Phals. repeat this cycle on a fairly regular
basis every two or three years. I used to scream bloody murder, but now
I'm used to the cycles and understand that's the way the plants renew
themselves. Well, or die.


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