TIL my 'rare' orchid was just a common one with a weird leaf spot

I was at the local plant swap in Boise last Saturday, bragging about this weird orchid I'd picked up. I told everyone the mottled leaves meant it was something special. This older guy, Frank, took one look and said, 'That's just a bacterial infection, kid. You can see it on the third leaf from the base.' He was right, and I felt pretty silly. Has anyone else had a plant mystery solved in a really blunt way?

3 comments

3 Comments

price.ben1mo ago

Wasn't that a fungal infection, not bacterial?

morgan_king361mo ago

Yeah, you're right about it being fungal, @price.ben. Athlete's foot and ringworm are classic examples of that. People get them mixed up because both can cause skin issues. But antibiotics only work on bacteria, not on something like a yeast infection. You need a different kind of medicine, like an antifungal cream, to clear it up.

christopherw341mo ago

Yeah, that part about mixing them up is so true, @morgan_king36.