# Macodes petola



## PLD (Dec 23, 2007)

Hi there, i think maybe you coud help me, so here is my prob .

I have a Macodes petola in one of my vivs. She fits perfect in the viv, she sits in a mix of half shadow and half sunny, in the viv is good temp. and good humi. i thought all is perfect, but last week i saw she is getting some lightbrown leafs and rolls it, but she keep getting new leafs and is growing too . i dont understand it, i have some pics too but they are not very good , so may someone can help me .

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thats what the leafs look like when they dead.


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## naja_naja (Sep 8, 2006)

since it is growing new leaves its perfectly fine the leaves die off occasionally thats the way its gunna be


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## AlexD (Sep 19, 2007)

I have the same problem with Ludisias. I think it is partly caused by the stale air in a viv, but they usually pull out of it.


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## fishmommy (Dec 23, 2006)

some die-off of old leaves is normal.
if it gets excessive or starts in on young leaves then you need to revisit your substrate and moisture levels. It doesn't seem to like dense substrate nor too much moisture for too long.

I have found that this jewel will grow fine in soil or coir for a while, but eventually starts to melt. Solution at that point is to switch to a loose sphagnum substrate, with the orchid stems/runners on top as opposed to buried.

that's been my experience, but I am NOT expert


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## PLD (Dec 23, 2007)

i got it in potting soil and i think its good grown. The first 2 months since i planted it in it werent gorw. Then it starts like a rocket , but all my old leafs started to die off at the same time but new ones keep coming.

So you think i shoud plant it in sphagnum moss ?


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

All my jewel orchids are on sphagnum moss, with stems sitting on top of the moss and letting the plant send its roots down. Stems in the moss usually end up rotting out leaving me with leaves with the good stem sections no longer in touch with the substrate... sitting these sections on top of sphagnum moss usually allows them to root and recover. My Macodes petola has done this repeatidly since I got it as it's stems were buried in the moss pretty deep and it rotted out every stem in the moss.

That isn't to say that's the only substrate they will grow on, they will grow ON many different substrates, as long as its not wet, and you sit the stem on top of the soil and let it root. Many jewel orchids are ramblers.

It's relatively normal for the lowest/oldest leaves to die off with a certain amount of growth. A lot of my ludisia for example seem to like to only have a certain amount of leaves at any given time so their oldest die as they put out new ones. This is especially true if they are adapting to new conditions.


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## PLD (Dec 23, 2007)

hmm, iam going to watch the young/new leafs, if they roll and die off, i change the substart and look how it works.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

If it's the leaves lowest on the stem, the oldest, the death is normal. If there are leaves below them (older than them) and they are dying, especially if it's the new growth, that is a problem. Make sure water is not sitting on the leaves, especially the area where new growth comes from as if that part rots your plant will have to make a new growth point.


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## PLD (Dec 23, 2007)

the leafs are only a bit wet when my fog machine ends to produce fog and that is somethin i cant avoid.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

If there are drops at the center of the plant where the growth is, and it's there all the time, that could be an issue... if it disapears soon after it shouldn't be an issue, especially since the leaf you posted pictures of is an older leaf, not a new one.


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## TimStout (Feb 16, 2004)

Orchids may also loose lower leaves on monopodial growth as with your Macodes or old growths on plants with a sympodial habit like Cattleya due to lack of nutrients. If one leaf dies as another grows and there is never any real net gain in plant size you will need to feed. Low light can also cause this problem. Essentially the plant cannot produce enough energy to put on additional size. A good indicator for this is that leaf color is darker green and the internodes are longer (stretched) then before. Plants also may look floppy.


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## andy83 (May 31, 2006)

What lighting are you using? They appreciate air movement as well. With what others have said it may also be a normal process. Do you have many frogs in there to fertilize or other inhabitants?

How long have you had it in its new viv? A lot of times jewels will loose a few in the adjustment phase.

I only have experience with Ludisia discolor but I have a few of them and have grown them many different ways. Too much light will cause them to shed leaves fast but they seem to regrow at a faster pace...that's the experience I've had with the one in my 40 gallon breeder with 192watts of cf. The leaves are all shorter and some even appear burnt like(too red) but I want it to form a bush that shadows itself. The others I have in lower lighting settings have larger, darker leaves.

Maybe you could post some pictures of the plant and its location. They like moisture but too much might cause the problems you're having....who knows. As long as your plant isn't suffering too much than I wouldn't worry about it. It could be part of the general season change outdoors...lower humidity, lower temps.

Anyway, I've rambled on too long. Good luck with your Macodes!


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