If your orchid’s stem is turning yellow, it could mean that it is getting too much light. If you move your orchid from a spot where it got a reasonable amount of light to an area where it is getting plenty of direct or full sunlight, its stem will turn yellow.
Other causes of yellowing orchid stems are overwatering, fungal infections, and nutrient deficiency.
In this article, we will discuss the causes of yellowing orchid stems, as well as other color changes that may be cause for concern.
Why is my orchid’s stem turning yellow?
Your orchid’s stem may be turning yellow because it is getting too much sunlight. Taking an orchid that has lived most of its life indoors into the harsh sunlight of the outdoors means it will start to get more direct light than it has become used to. You can remedy this by taking the orchid back to a spot where it will be more comfortable with the amount of light it is getting.
It is also possible, if only the part of the stem near the flower is yellowing, that the spike is dying out. This usually happens after the orchid’s blooming cycle and you can just remove the yellow flower spike.
Why is my orchid’s stem turning red?
It is usually not a cause for concern if an orchid’s stem turns red. In some orchid species, the stem turns red when they are receiving an adequate amount of sunlight.
However, there are some types of orchids, like the Phalaenopsis orchid, that turn red when they get scorched by the sun. You can remedy this by moving the orchid to a different spot where it gets less direct light.
Why is my orchid’s stem turning brown?
When your orchid stem is turning brown, it could mean that the stem is nearing the end of its life and is no longer able to support the bloom on it. This is more probable if the browning of the stem appears as the blooms are falling off. In this case, you can simply remove the dried-out orchid stem.
Be aware that an orchid stem can also turn brown if it gets too much sun.
Why is my orchid’s stem turning pink?
Some varieties of orchids will have stems that turn pink when the flowers are spent. This can simply be a sign of the orchid’s blooming cycle coming to an end.
Why is my orchid’s stem turning black?
A fungal infection called black rot can cause the stem of an orchid to turn black. This will start on the leaves and can spread to other parts of the orchid, like the stem. Black rot shares the same symptoms as root rot. Both these conditions can be very difficult to remedy, especially if you were unable to catch it in its early stages. You can try to treat it with a fungicide and transplant the orchid, and see if that might work.
A blackening orchid stem is probably the most serious of all these orchid stem color changes.
Orchid flowers falling off
You should keep in mind that the only time orchid flowers should be falling off is at the end of its blooming cycle, when the orchid is in its resting phase.
There are cases where the flowers or buds fall off because of environmental changes. This can be due to a lack of humidity, pests, disease, temperature changes, lack of light or underwatering.
If your orchid’s flowers begin to fall off, try to establish which of these has caused it.
What do you do with dried orchid stems?
You should remove dried orchid stems. Cut them all the way down to the base of the orchid. This will stop the plant providing nutrients and energy to the dried stem and focus its resources on producing more root growth.
If you can see that only the flower spike has dried out, you can just cut back several nodes. Some orchids can still bloom from the same spike.
Make sure you use a sharp knife or scissors whenever you need to cut your orchid. Sterilize the cutting tool after every cut so that you do not end up infecting healthier parts of the orchid.
Will a cut orchid stem grow back?
If you cut back a flower spike only a few nodes, you will still be able to grow flowers from the same spike. If you cut the spike all the way down to the base, do not expect it to grow back.
Do not worry if the stems you cut all the way to the base no longer grow back, because the orchid will grow new spikes that will have bigger and healthier blooms.
How long does it take for an orchid to bloom?
It can take an orchid almost nine months to bloom again, but this can depend on the environment it is in. Orchids go dormant after their blooming cycle. This cycle can last between two to three months. After the flowers have been spent, the plant will gather energy for a brand new blooming cycle.
You can actually encourage your orchid to enter a blooming cycle by moving it into a colder room for several weeks. If you can successfully manipulate light and dark cycles to simulate the orchid’s ideal lighting conditions, you should be able to achieve this.
Conclusion
An orchid’s stem can turn yellow if it has been exposed to too much sunlight. This is a common occurrence among orchids that were grown in places with little direct sunlight and are suddenly transferred to an area with too much direct sunlight. You can remedy these yellowing effects by bringing the orchid back indoors, or to a spot where it has enough shade and is only exposed to indirect sunlight.
Image: istockphoto.com / Nadya So