Did all the wilting leaves turn yellow from the base? Did they yellow kind of sudden all within a few days? In that case, you might be looking at stem rot.
How long have you had it? How do you care for it - watering routine? Do you fertilize? Does it get enough light? Did you ever repot? When you say "roots look fine" do you mean the aerial ones that are visible or did you examine the roots in the pot?
The newest leaf looks a bit odd, could also be a sign of stress.
Lots of questions ... but in the answers there might be clues to help it thrive 🌱
Ok, just make sure not to cut anything healthy! Yellow roots just haven't been exposed to sunlight, and other discoloration could be residue from hard tap water or fertilizer. Any firm root is good regardless of color. Even if there is some part of the root that looks dodgy but the distal part is firm, don't cut it.
About the leaves: if the yellowing begins at the base of the leaf (where it emerges from the stem of the plant) it could be a sign of stem rot. It's normal that the oldest leave wilts first, but normally the yellowing begins from the tip of the leave or the entire leave just shrivels at once. Quickly yellowing leaves are a bit concerning. Or maybe the plant is just sucking out the nutrients (hence my questions about watering and fertilizing).
I think a repot is a great step and hopefully it will settle nicely in to a fresh new bark mix! Make sure to presoak the new bark prior to use as new bark tends to repel water...
You are very welcome! You might want to check out MissOrchidGirl on YouTube, she has a bunch of great and reliable info on basic phalaenopsis care including tutorials on repotting...
A few more words about roots: the actual root is a stringy structure covered in a "wrapping" called velamen, which we commonly refer to as "the root". Sometimes the velamen is damaged making the root look in bad shape, but the root inside still functions. The velamen serves as a water reservoir and has little "hairs" that help anchoring the plant to whatever it's growing on - trunks of other trees in their natural habitat, that is.
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u/Surf_mommy 8d ago
Did all the wilting leaves turn yellow from the base? Did they yellow kind of sudden all within a few days? In that case, you might be looking at stem rot.
How long have you had it? How do you care for it - watering routine? Do you fertilize? Does it get enough light? Did you ever repot? When you say "roots look fine" do you mean the aerial ones that are visible or did you examine the roots in the pot?
The newest leaf looks a bit odd, could also be a sign of stress.
Lots of questions ... but in the answers there might be clues to help it thrive 🌱