Phalaenopsis orchids grow on trees in the wild and need air flow around their roots. They are usually kept in coarse bark chips in pots with lots of drainage holes as soil suffocates their roots. Water orchids by submerging the pot in room temperature water for about 15 minutes and then let it drain. Make sure there is no water pooling in the crown of the leaves.
Do this when the membrane covering the roots is silvery and dry. Hydrated roots are green, plump, and mottled. Cut off roots that don’t plump up after watering and roots that are black and slimy. Keep the plant in bright indirect light.
Orchid flowers die after a while, that is normal. Cut off the flower stalk when it is dead. The orchid should flower again but it can take several months. Add orchid fertilizer to the water when you see a new flower stalk forming to prolong the flowering. Replace the bark about once a year.
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Levangeline
Mealy bugs.
Fuzzy-Yam2406
Following because I also found one of these on my peace Lilly!
My friend told me they’re trash bugs? But idk for sure. I didn’t look further into it after I removed it.
_LadyMeowmalade
Hi friend! Florist and plant mom here! Those are mealie bugs. They suck the sap out of plants and leave a sticky residue behind. They will kill a plant. The good thing is you can spray with a 1-1-1 mix of rubbing alcohol, water, and a few drops of dish soap and soak the $hit out of the orchid. The mixture kills on contact. You may need to treat her once a week for several weeks before you get them all. I would say treat until you see no more signs of pest activity. Spray your stratum, bark, or whatever you have the orchid in so the eggs and larvae die as well. I hope this helps! Take heart, she will recover if you give her the right treatment!
Responsible_Dentist3
Water + isopropyl alcohol (enough that you can smell it) + some dish soap. Apply thoroughly with old makeup brush. Really get into the nooks & crannies. You need 100% coverage. I’ve found this method completely effective!
Little_firefall
Mealies, you can use rubbing alcohol with a Qtip and put it over the bugs, then I say use some neem oil to kill the ones in crevices you can’t reach. Keep it away from other plants. Hope for the health of your orchid!
invaderjill
Although mealies are disgusting, I don’t find they do nearly the level of cosmetic damage to the plant as other pests. (Thrips, spider mites, I’m looking at you.) I wouldn’t go into panic mode, but be consistent with treatment and they will go away. Also you want to check any other plants for them. The males do fly, but they spread mainly through leaves of adjacent plants touching.
7 Comments
It looks like you may be asking about orchids.
Phalaenopsis orchids grow on trees in the wild and need air flow around their roots. They are usually kept in coarse bark chips in pots with lots of drainage holes as soil suffocates their roots. Water orchids by submerging the pot in room temperature water for about 15 minutes and then let it drain. Make sure there is no water pooling in the crown of the leaves.
Do this when the membrane covering the roots is silvery and dry. Hydrated roots are green, plump, and mottled. Cut off roots that don’t plump up after watering and roots that are black and slimy. Keep the plant in bright indirect light.
Orchid flowers die after a while, that is normal. Cut off the flower stalk when it is dead. The orchid should flower again but it can take several months. Add orchid fertilizer to the water when you see a new flower stalk forming to prolong the flowering. Replace the bark about once a year.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/plantclinic) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Mealy bugs.
Following because I also found one of these on my peace Lilly!
My friend told me they’re trash bugs? But idk for sure. I didn’t look further into it after I removed it.
Hi friend! Florist and plant mom here! Those are mealie bugs. They suck the sap out of plants and leave a sticky residue behind. They will kill a plant. The good thing is you can spray with a 1-1-1 mix of rubbing alcohol, water, and a few drops of dish soap and soak the $hit out of the orchid. The mixture kills on contact. You may need to treat her once a week for several weeks before you get them all. I would say treat until you see no more signs of pest activity. Spray your stratum, bark, or whatever you have the orchid in so the eggs and larvae die as well. I hope this helps! Take heart, she will recover if you give her the right treatment!
Water + isopropyl alcohol (enough that you can smell it) + some dish soap. Apply thoroughly with old makeup brush. Really get into the nooks & crannies. You need 100% coverage. I’ve found this method completely effective!
Mealies, you can use rubbing alcohol with a Qtip and put it over the bugs, then I say use some neem oil to kill the ones in crevices you can’t reach. Keep it away from other plants. Hope for the health of your orchid!
Although mealies are disgusting, I don’t find they do nearly the level of cosmetic damage to the plant as other pests. (Thrips, spider mites, I’m looking at you.) I wouldn’t go into panic mode, but be consistent with treatment and they will go away. Also you want to check any other plants for them. The males do fly, but they spread mainly through leaves of adjacent plants touching.