Summer Heat Will Stress Phalaenopsis Orchids, Part 2 Of 2

As we discussed in our previous blog, orchids can suffer from heat stress just like you and me. While sunny days are enjoyable, too much sun isn’t good for either us or our orchids. Below we continue to break down various signs that your Phalaenopsis orchid is suffering from heat stress.

• Leaves or plants that yellow are a good indication that the orchid is suffering from heat stress. An excessive amount of light exposure will cause the chlorophyll to deteriorate which will cause the entire plant to lose its natural green color. Orchids that are receiving the correct amount of light exposure are a pretty light green color.
• The initial signs of sunburn in a Phalaenopsis orchid are similar to what occurs in humans. When orchids are sunburnt they can be red, or have a reddish-purple hue. Unsightly looking freckles on the leaves are also common.
• Orchids that have severe sunburn issues will likely have their flowers drop, their roots and leaf tips will turn brown, their flower spikes may fail completely, and the orchid may suffer from bud blast.
• In advanced stages of heat stress, the leaves of the Phalaenopsis orchid will become leathery. When leathery leaves occur, this is a clear indication of severe damage at the cellular level which some orchid plants do not recover from.

When a Phalaenopsis orchid appears to be overheated and dehydrated, it might seem logical to douse the plant with an abundance of water to try to counter the effects of dehydration. This, however, often will make matters worse for the orchid because the root system will become rotted, which in turn will make it incapable of absorbing water correctly. Like with many other types of plants, the roots of the Phalaenopsis orchid are only able to absorb a certain amount of water before they become stressed.

If you’re interested in learning more about proper watering and care for your orchid roots, check out one of our related blog posts.