Poor things were still in the original container with moss. My brother gave them to me.
I've cut off all rotted roots and rinsed and sprayed with hydrogen peroxide. Leaves turned to mush by the cold.

Are they worth the time and effort?

I would say no, Betsy.
But if you love a challenge and feel especially lucky then go ahead.
Phalaenopsis are available everywhere.. why not treat yourself to one in bloom?

You're right - too much effort and time which I don't have right now.
Here's one that maybe saveable. At least it has two rather ratty leaves.

Betsy, surely you have come across the different camps of Phalaenopsis rescue? 😄

Camp 1 says "mulch it"

Camp 2 says try all sorts of treatments and then says "mulch it"

Camp 3 is the miracle worker, saves the darn thing and maybe even blooms it 5 ?years later.

Camp 4 goes shopping for a new plant!

How is that?


I should say, I am not camp 3, I am not that good.

Love this Ursula!
I have been to ALL of those camps...having worked at Lowe's and couldn't stand seeing all those plants going in the dumpster. Personally, I no longer have the space, or the time...but I know others are passionate about rescue.

I've never been to the "mulch it" camp because I can't bring myself to just give up on a plant right away, so I'm more inclined towards the "try some TLC, then mulch it" camp 2. A very few of the ones I've tried to rescue actually made it back to anything resembling a healthy orchid. I love to buy the mini-phals off the discount rack at Lowe's and they usually respond well and come back to life, but they're never as far gone as those ones you have.

I'd say keep the ones that have green leaves and some healthy looking roots. If they haven't put on a nice new leaf or two by summer, you should probably toss them, go for camp number 4 and reward yourself with a nice new plant.

Thanks, Ursula, for the Camp list
After trimming off the dead roots and cleaning them with water and looking at the stump for any signs of 'green' - I'm with Camp 1.
Camp 3: one with the awful looking two leaves with some green roots. Just maybe....

Betsy, that sounds reasonable!

They're ten a penny these days. Buy a nice new one.

Camp 4

I saw the other day some really different looking Phals, should have taken pictures..
The breeders have been playing around creating differently shaped lips and some amazing patterns.
Have to go back....

Phals certainly are available everywhere, but they're not cheap unless you can buy them after they're finished blooming. I used to buy them for gifts at Trader Joe's, mini-Phals were $6.99 each but now? $10.99 last time I saw them. The full-size ones are $25 or more, and TJ's still has the most reasonable prices on them.

Back to watching the "death racks" at Lowe's and buying the spent ones . . .

Just unpotted another one with a good root system but no leaves - the stem still have some green to it so I cleaned, rinsed and repotted it to new medium.

Elaine, I'm a clearance shopper, too.
Love to find great bargains on the death racks!

I've a few that have gotten some mushy leaf or crown rot. Crown rot is one I've never managed to drag them back from the brink from... the rest I've done okay at. Just clean off the dodge stuff then place them in an environment you know they'll like, humid and moderate to warm.
Or put them somewhere you'll forget about till 12 months later and you'll be like.... ohhh I forgot to water that a year ago, well it's definitely done for now. Problem solved get a new one haha

Hmm, that is camp 5 !

There are a lot of websites saying to treat crown rot by cleaning off all the rot and pouring straight Hydrogen Peroxide down the middle. I tried it on a Phal I really liked and figured what the heck. The roots still looked good and I can always compost it later. Amazingly enough, It bloomed! I thought about cutting off the flower stock but... one last chance to enjoy a plant I really liked. It took another year but, one day, little leaves. This year, resplendent in new leaves, its going to bloom. It was a long wait but worth it.

And with that we have a Camp 3!! Less than 5 years!!
Joke aside, good job!

Yes, might have been 5 years. The only thing that saved it is I put it with my other little Phals so it did get watered. But its a survivor! Imagine a Phal with no leaves, just a bloom stalk. When the flowers open, I'll post a photo.

I don't need to imagine that, unfortunately. I have one with a bloom stalk and no leaves right now. Broke the whole crown of leaves off it in a rush to move the plant into the house a while back . . . It does still have lots of healthy roots, so there's hope. No rot in sight, so far.