Are they dew drops or round white, dry spots. I can't tell from your photo. Your plants look healthy to my eyes, I wouldn't worry about it. Orchids get all sorts of marks and brown spots, most are harmless.

Laticauda, what you describe might be dew drops. Phals sometimes get them usually under their leaves. If that is what you are talking about, its completely normal.

Jane

Trying to think of the best way to describe them. I wouldn't say they are oily or damp. On the front of the leaves they are small dark spots surrounded by a transparent halo. On the back they are the opposite (inverse?). Will keep an eye out for new or growing spots.

hi, did you ever find out what caused those spots? I have the exact same thing on a phalaenopsis leaf, and no one seems to know what they are. Edema is unlikely, because edema tends to show up as blisters (raised bumps). I never got the leaf wet either, so it can't be cold water spots. So... is it either an insect bite which caused mesophyll cell collapse, or a touch of bacterial spot, which also causes cells to collapse? Hoping we can discuss this for more ideas... :)

The basic bit of info, needed in these posts is where you are in the world. You could be anywhere and the culture will vary.

Example, it is surprising that Phals are easier in colder climates than here....reason this house does not have Central Heating to keep Phals snug in the winter months.

I do not know where brwndot (the original poster) is from. I am in the UK.

@arthurm2015 --- BTW, I do not understand your second paragraph: what do you mean by "phals are easier in colder climates than here" -- easier to catch pests/diseases? Easier to grow? And where is "here"? And do you mean that your house does not have central heating because it's better for the phals, or that your house does not have central heating therefore the phals catch disease easier?

@brwndot ---- I hope you can update us on what happened to those dark spots, thanks :)

You might find some complete Phalaenopsis cultivation notes on the net, they will vary according to where the writer is in the world.

Even UK is a bit vague, could be in the south or the far north.

Recommended Phalaenopsis temperature range is 60 to 90F.

Outside in the yard Annual temperature range might be about 2C to 40C and the humidity can drop below 10% if the wind is coming from the interior of the Continent. It never snows.

Orchids but not Phalaenopsis grow all year in the shade-house pictured below.

Homes are not centrally heated.

At a local orchid society meeting, last month there were 67 orchids exhibited, but only 2 Phalaenopsis.

Shade-house in Sydney, Australia

Hi all - those leaf spots never grew. If anything, they sort of scarred over a bit. Plant has been otherwise healthy and bloomed for several weeks. Now in semi-water culture with root tips galore.

@brwndot Thanks for the update -- that is exactly what is happening with my (identical) spots. The spots appear suddenly, they don't grow, and they scar over slightly, or in some cases, heal almost completely. I find that if they are going to heal, they'll do it within 3 days of the spot appearing. If they are going to scar, then they hang around for weeks and then scar. Wish I knew what caused them. My orchid is in a combination setup: bareroot with the bottom 1/2 cm of root tips dipped in water. Very healthy with new large leaves, roots, and a new spike. Just with those few unidentified spots, lol.

Here's a photo -- took me a while. Apparently houzz does not like big file sizes. You can see one of the scars on the leaf sticking up on the right. Some are flat, some are raised. Little leaf warts.

Plants · More Info

@brwndot That's one healthy looking orchid, mate :)

Why thank you. It's come a long way!

Yes, that is beautiful!!

How do you water your orchids? Do you ever fertilize them? Funny, I think I have that same frog hanging on one of my pots.lol

Phals are much easier to grow where you can control the temps, not left to random outdoor settings. I find mine do awesome at temps between 60 to 90 inside my home. It's the night temps I am especially keen of. They hate to be cold and wet.

Mike

@Meyermike(Zone 6a Ma.) - thanks! Have gotten a lot of good advice from gardenweb.

Most of my orchids are phals and about half of them are in semi or full water culture. I'm pretty loose with it but do add dyna-grow, schultz basic orchid food and occasionally cal-mag to their distilled water. Last winter I set up a small humidifier for them too.

I'm not any more regimented with the ones in bark, but I do dip them in that same solution periodically since I'm a chronic underwaterer. I also have one phal in leca that is finally spiking plus a cattleya and a miltoniopsis that I've recently moved to water culture after some neglect. And there's a wilsonara in moss/bark that is coming around now that I'm keeping it more evenly moist.

Also I love the little frogs and turtles that you can hang on pots! But I keep dropping and maiming them...

it is from irregular watering. It is not something to be worried about.