# Spots on phragmipedium leaves



## e-spice (Jan 1, 2019)

Hi,

Over the past year I've had a few phrags that get random spotting on leaves. See photo below. It looks like something bacterial or maybe some sort of insect biting.

Has anyone seen anything similar or know how to resolve this?

Thanks in advance for any information or advice!


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## abax (Jan 1, 2019)

I've seen some of this kind of spotting here and there in my Phrag. collection
and thought perhaps it was water spotting. Now I'm not so sure, however,
I've been "painting" the spots with Dragon's Blood and a Q-Tip and it hasn't
spread at all.


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## Ozpaph (Jan 2, 2019)

you might find this link useful - https://staugorchidsociety.org/culturepests-diseases-pseudomonas.htm


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## ehanes7612 (Jan 2, 2019)

my guess would be that you are stressing the plant out with some cultural problem (not enough water maybe, check your roots)
..causing some shrinkage in leaves which causes weakness in the plant cell walls...inviting bacterial infection


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## NYEric (Jan 8, 2019)

How long have they been in that media?


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## Silverwhisp (Jan 8, 2019)

The bottom front leaf — is that mechanical damage? The other spots are all along the central line of the leaf. Viral, maybe?


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## Justin (Jan 8, 2019)

Yes has it been tested for virus? Would be good to rule that out.


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## e-spice (Jan 15, 2019)

I appreciate everyone's feedback. Sorry for the delay in replying. See some answers below.



NYEric said:


> How long have they been in that media?


In most cases around a year. This particular plant has excellent roots.



Silverwhisp said:


> The bottom front leaf — is that mechanical damage? The other spots are all along the central line of the leaf. Viral, maybe?


Possibly mechanical damage on that one particular leaf. Virus is always a possibility but not very common in phrags. I always use sterile cutting tools and new pots and medium when repotting.



Justin said:


> Yes has it been tested for virus? Would be good to rule that out.


I have tested most other genera in my collection and have thrown some plants away. I generally don't test phrags though since most of mine come from seedlings and I am very careful repotting them.


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## NYEric (Jan 16, 2019)

Check the TDS of water passing through the media.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jan 23, 2019)

Bacterial rot is my vote.


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## Ray (Jan 24, 2019)

It looks rather mechanical to me, as a starting point,possibly with a subsequent infection, now stopped.

Notice that the defects are along the midrib where there is some indication of flexing or bending, and how it is perfectly symmetrical on the lower leaf edge, suggesting they were damaged when escaping a lower bract, plus another bending point.


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