Help needed w/ Phrag wallisi (or popowii)

[Tom_in_PA]

As you might rememebr my Phrag wallisi (or popowii) just flowered for the first time. Since the flower opened I have had 3-4 leaves die back. They start to turn brown at the base of the leaf right at the fan. It continues to die back and as the leaf is almost completly dead the next leaf starts? There are only 2 leafs left and it does not have any new growths or even any signs of new growth.

I have not changed the culture of this plant since I reieved it asa seedling 2-3 years ago. It always seemed happy nad was growing great until it bloomed.

Do I cut the flower spike in hopes of a new growth starting? Any other suggestions?

 

[SlipperFan]

If this were my plant, I'd cut off the spike, carefully remove the diseased leaves, spray the base of the plant where the leaves were with fresh hydrogen peroxide, and hope for the best. It looks like a rot, to which these plants are, unhappily, susceptible. Make sure you have good air movement around the plant, also.

 

[Heather]

ditto - exactly - what Dot said.

Rot, just get it out of there. It may not make it but Mariyn LeDloux has more. Wishing you fine thoughts towards survival!

 

[gonewild]

Dragon's Blood has been 100% effective in stopping this problem if used before the crown is completely gone.

 

[Candace]

Be very careful removing the leaves with rot. Too much pressure and the whole growth easy breaks off. I've done several times.

 

[gonewild]

I wouldn't "remove" the leaves. If you want to remove the dead tissue cut off the infected leaves and then split the stubs to let air into the tight crown area. Removing the leaf completely may tear open a small spot of healthy tissue and cause even further spread of a pathogen.

 

[Rick]

Dragon's Blood has been 100% effective in stopping this problem if used before the crown is completely gone.

I haven't had 100% success, but it's the best I've had to date.

I would also try to find a cooler shadier and breezier spot along with DB aplicaton.

 

[gonewild]

I haven't had 100% success, but it's the best I've had to date.

I would also try to find a cooler shadier and breezier spot along with DB aplicaton.

I should have qualified my statement with "in my tests" it has been 100%. It seems to immediately stop(kill) the pathogen. But if the center of the crown is already damaged the plant may not be able to generate a new leaf.

 

[Rick]

I should have qualified my statement with "in my tests" it has been 100%. It seems to immediately stop(kill) the pathogen. But if the center of the crown is already damaged the plant may not be able to generate a new leaf.

Sorry
I didn't want to give you a hard time. It has been the best thing I've used. But I've had a couple of plants this summer (both phrag species) that the rot would stop for a while after DB but then jump from one growth to the next and ultimately finish them off. I would reapply after each new growth became effected, but no good. For this summer I'd say I'm at 50% for 4 rescue attempts.

I had a couple of other cases where applying DB plus moving to cooler/shadier has stopped the spread.

In general I've found several species of paph and phrag in my collection have responded very well to cooler/darker and breezy/humid conditions. The leaf span on new growths of my lindlyanums and a richteri are 2X what the older flowering growths achieved since I've moved them.

 

[gonewild]

Sorry
I didn't want to give you a hard time. It has been the best thing I've used. But I've had a couple of plants this summer (both phrag species) that the rot would stop for a while after DB but then jump from one growth to the next and ultimately finish them off. I would reapply after each new growth became effected, but no good. For this summer I'd say I'm at 50% for 4 rescue attempts.

I had a couple of other cases where applying DB plus moving to cooler/shadier has stopped the spread.

In general I've found several species of paph and phrag in my collection have responded very well to cooler/darker and breezy/humid conditions. The leaf span on new growths of my lindlyanums and a richteri are 2X what the older flowering growths achieved since I've moved them.

I did not take your post as a hard time at all, quite the opposite. I am anxious to hear about any success or failures. I don't think it is reasonable to ever expect any treatment form to be 100% effective.

In the case of your plants that had reinfections occur in other growths, that may indicate the pathogen is systemic rather than surface spread. If that is the case treating all the growths on a plant and not only infected areas may be better. Also repeating the applications frequently for an extended period of time may also increase the success rate. The Dragon's Blood may very well work as a systemic if enough is applied to the plant over a period of time?

 

[Tom_in_PA]

thank you everyone...I am going to take care of the plant now with hydrogen peroxide but I have another question now.

I never heard of Dragons Blood before until the replies to my post. I did a quick search and found what it was but where do you find your Dragon's Blood? Do you have to order it online or do you have a local source?

 

[Rick]

I did not take your post as a hard time at all, quite the opposite. I am anxious to hear about any success or failures. I don't think it is reasonable to ever expect any treatment form to be 100% effective.

In the case of your plants that had reinfections occur in other growths, that may indicate the pathogen is systemic rather than surface spread. If that is the case treating all the growths on a plant and not only infected areas may be better. Also repeating the applications frequently for an extended period of time may also increase the success rate. The Dragon's Blood may very well work as a systemic if enough is applied to the plant over a period of time?

I wouldn't be surprised if it could go systemic. I checked some discolored tissue of an infected plant under high power oil immersion microscope and saw some pretty classic motile rods for Erwinia. They look like they can travel pretty good.

I can't remember if you mentioned it once, but what do you think of spraying a dilution of DB that could get deeper into potting mix and roots?

 

[SlipperFan]

thank you everyone...I am going to take care of the plant now with hydrogen peroxide but I have another question now.

I never heard of Dragons Blood before until the replies to my post. I did a quick search and found what it was but where do you find your Dragon's Blood? Do you have to order it online or do you have a local source?

I would also have suggested Dragons Blood, but I thought that by the time you had gotten it, the plant would have been doomed.

You can get Dragons Blood online -- gonewild sells it from his http://shopgonewild.com/ site. It is very effective. I'd still do the hydrogen peroxide while you order the Blood. Then use it, also.

 

[gonewild]

I wouldn't be surprised if it could go systemic. I checked some discolored tissue of an infected plant under high power oil immersion microscope and saw some pretty classic motile rods for Erwinia. They look like they can travel pretty good.

I can't remember if you mentioned it once, but what do you think of spraying a dilution of DB that could get deeper into potting mix and roots?

I think the Dragon's Blood would be effective for root rot as long as it comes into contact with the infected area. Whether or not it will be effective enough as a diluted systemic I have no idea. Usually the bacterial infections are spreading so fast and in an isolated area that the direct application would be called for as a treatment. An additional spray or dip with a diluted solution may also be very beneficial but I've not tried it. We don't have any reason to believe roots will absorb the Dragon's Blood any better than the foliage but if there is an infection in the roots I would drench the root area with a diluted solution and suspect it would be effective.

My uses have been with pure natural resin (not extracted or powdered) at full strength. I do however often add water to the treated area to help the DB penetrate tight areas. This in effect dilutes the DB. In Peru indigenous healers use about 3 drops to to internally treat an adult human, so 3 drops diluted and used as a drench on a plant may indeed be an effective dosage. The goal of course is to get the DB onto the infected tissue as efficiently and rapidly as possible.

 

[Paul]

hello Tom,
It looks like fusarium to me, I have had the same rot on my popowii, and it's very hard to eradicate... I hope it's no fusarium for you!

 

[Grandma M]

Lance

What porportions would you suggest for a diluted spray?

 

[gonewild]

Lance

What proportions would you suggest for a diluted spray?

I have not tried it as a diluted spray so I'm only taking a guess at this. Since we know the pure resin works I would dilute as little as possible. If I were going to test a diluted spray I would probably try something like 1 teaspoon in a pint or quart of water.

To spray just one plant maybe decide what volume of water you will actually use and add the Dragon's Blood to that small amount of water. As example let's say we want 6 drops of resin to be applied to a whole plant then we could mix the 6 drops in one cup of water and spray the entire cup onto the plant.

If I wanted to treat one plant and I did not mind taking a little time and effort I might dilute the Dragon's Blood with half water and then swab or brush it on all surfaces of the leaves. It will spread pretty far and even a thin layer should do the job.

 

[Grandma M]

Thanks Lance

Quote - -If I wanted to treat one plant and I did not mind taking a little time and effort I might dilute the Dragon's Blood with half water and then swab or brush it on all surfaces of the leaves. It will spread pretty far and even a thin layer should do the job.

It sounds like a good idea to cover more of the plant than just a drop in one location.