# My macodes petola is... melting?



## Elphaba (Aug 26, 2007)

Hi all,

I purchased a jewel orchid off eBay a few weeks ago and recently planted it in my new vivarium. When it arrived, it was potted, but during shipping it had gotten fairly trounced -- most of the soil in the pot was spilled and the poor orchid was a little lopsided. I gently washed the roots and planted it in a nicely draining peat mixture that serves as my substrate. I didn't put any moss around it as I was worried this would be too wet. Also, it's not in direct light, but it does get a pretty fair amount -- I know this plant likes shade, so this might possibly contribute to my problem, but I don't know... 

Fast forward about two weeks to now. My viv is doing the mold and fungus thing -- white stringy stuff grew in places on the background, especially on the bamboo skewers I used to mount my broms, and it seemed to have taken up residence on the orchid too. After a couple of light mistings, though, the mold calmed down considerably and is no longer trying to be a fur coat for the orchid. I think, though, that the orchid came out of the ordeal a little worse for wear: the leaves are shriveling up and literally melting right off the plant.

I don't have a picture right now as I'm at work, but I can get one, I think. Any ideas what I've done wrong, though? Too wet? Too dry? Too much fungus among us? I'm no plant guru by any means, so I'd like to hear from those of you who are!

All the best,
Ash


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## Homer (Feb 15, 2004)

It sounds like your plant may have been heavily bruised during shipping, and it is now just showing signs of the damage. It may come back from the roots, depending upon how large/old the plant is, but that would likely take a LONG time.

I doubt you are giving the plant too much light, as I have had little problem, other than burned leaves, when switching them to sunnier locations in the greenhouse. This time of the year, an hour or two of dappled sunlight doesn't seem to bother them too much in my greenhouse, so terrarium lighting isn't too likely to overpower them (although I am not saying that you can't overdo it).


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## Elphaba (Aug 26, 2007)

Bruising, huh?  Poor thing. When I got home today it looked downright pathetic, and very, very wet -- the area around it wasn't exactly dry, but it wasn't nearly as saturated as the plant looked. One of the leaves had also developed a whitish tinge. Here's a picture of it -- I pulled it from the tank and settled it in a small cup for a photograph. It's not in that permanently or anything -- it was just something I had left over from the arrival of my Imitators...










Any thoughts? What should I do to help this plant, or is it a lost cause?

~Ash


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## Homer (Feb 15, 2004)

It could have been exposed to extreme temps during shipping as well. However, that plant does not look too bad to me. I'd put it in some media that drains well, and let it settle in. If the stem survives, and the two largest leaves do fine, it should snap back.


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## roxrgneiss (Sep 30, 2007)

Ash,

I'm no guru, but the local orchid grower that I got mine from said that his (in his greenhouse) "melt" away every winter and return in the spring. I'm not sure if this occurs in vivs or in every part of the country, but maybe yours has begun this "cycle" and will come around in the right environment, as Homer mentioned. 
Hope it does well for you.

Mike


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## Homer (Feb 15, 2004)

Macodes should not melt away on a yearly basis. If this is happenning, there is something wrong with your culture of them. I've been keeping Macodes and Ludisia's for about 5 years, and never had one melt away. These are tropical plants from areas that do not experience much in the way of seasonal change in their native environment, so a seasonal type growth is not one that would be common for this plant.

The only growth pattern I notice in mine is enlarge, flower, bud new plant growth, enlarge, repeat.



roxrgneiss said:


> Ash,
> 
> I'm no guru, but the local orchid grower that I got mine from said that his (in his greenhouse) "melt" away every winter and return in the spring. I'm not sure if this occurs in vivs or in every part of the country, but maybe yours has begun this "cycle" and will come around in the right environment, as Homer mentioned.
> Hope it does well for you.
> ...


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## roxrgneiss (Sep 30, 2007)

Yes, but I really don't know what the plant's growth is like from year to year personally (I've had mine a few weeks), just relaying what someone with more experience than me told me. Perhaps, I'll ask the person a few questions about their remark regarding melting to clear that up - maybe my interpretation is off.

Mike


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## candm519 (Oct 15, 2006)

If that was my plant, I would hospitalize it for a while. It truly doesn't look terrible to me; as long as the lower sprawly stem is firm and fat, you should be okay.
1) cut off obviously dead leaves
2) cut off any blackened or nasty parts of upper leaves and lower stem
(Because dead parts don't come alive again, and are likely to infect the remaining healthy parts.)
3) set it on top of moist spaghnum moss, play with toothpicks or other supports to make sure it doesn't wobble.
4) cover with baggie hat or whatever personal humidity system you use.
5) that growing tip is a flowering spike. Tossup here--some people say cut it off now so plant uses all its energy to make more leaves; or let it grow at least some so you get to enjoy the teeny flowers, and cut it off when you get bored or it gets ugly.
When you get new leaves and roots, put it back in your tank on top of the 'dirt', with as much of the spaghnum as the roots want to grab. Good luck!


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## Arklier (Mar 1, 2004)

Personally, I'd suggest pinching off the flower spike on this specific plant. On plants in better condition I usually leave them alone even if the flowers aren't showy, but in this case the plant doesn't need any additional drain on its resources. You want it to grow more leaves because it doesn't have that many to spare.


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