Orchid Leaf Problems: When to Cut a ‘Dead’ Orchid Leaf

A few items moved around in the trunk on your way home from the store or your cat got a little too feisty near your plant collection, but somehow, your orchid’s leaf was damaged.  

Despite our best efforts, sometimes leaves and stems on our Phalaenopsis orchids get broken. Perhaps your pet knocked it over or a curious child got the best of it. Maybe something fell on it, you bumped into it, or the plant has a particularly heavy stem full of blooms. But a broken leaf or stem doesn’t mean the end for your plant. A few simple measures can help you repair the damage. 

We totally understand the need to panic, but unless the entire plant was damaged, don’t let one leaf get you down!  

Dead Leaf 

You see the damage and are trying to determine the best course of action. First, you want to decide if the leaf is damaged or dead.   

If the leaf is ‘off’ in color, it no longer is getting nutrients and is probably dead. If the rest of your plant is intact and healthy, you just want to carefully remove the leaf and continue to let your orchid thrive.  

Also, if the plant is mushy where the leaf connects to the crown of the plant, the leaf is probably no longer viable.  

Broken Leaves 

Whether split in half, up the middle or just inflicted with a small tear, leaf damage can cause some concern, but don’t reach for the scissors just yet. Injuries to a leaf won’t damage the plant. In fact, broken leaves can still provide nutrients to the plant. You can leave the leaf in place and sprinkle some ground cinnamon on the damaged area. Cinnamon has antimicrobial properties and can help prevent infection. 

If you’d like to remove the damaged area for display purposes, use sterile scissors or a knife to cut it a half inch from the central stem of the plant. 

We know that it can be challenging to know how to handle a broken or damaged leaf. You want your plant to survive and thrive and don’t want to risk something worse happening to it, in addition to the broken or damaged leaf. Try the above methods to remedy the issue and if you aren’t sure which category your leaf falls into, dead or damaged, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for help. Send us pictures of your plant and we can assist!