My orchid seemed to die about two months ago - every leaf turned yellow and died. As I picked up the pot to throw the orchid in my compost bin, I notice the aerial roots were still green. So I Googled it, and read that sometimes an orchid will go dormant. So I kept watering it and misting the aerial roots with weak bromeliad fertilizer. Two days ago I snipped off some of the remaining dead stuff on the stem just to clean it up a bit, and look what I found - some new growth on the stem. Not sure if it is a leaf, or another root. In any event, it must not be dead. Anyone else experience this? Is there still hope?

There are some types of orchids that do go dormant and lose all their leaves. But to my knowledge, Phalaenopsis don't do that, at least none of mine ever have. They bloom in early spring here, grow new leaves and roots over the summer and start their budding in winter when they get a bit of a chill at night.

You do have lots of good healthy looking roots there, but unless it puts out a new leaf or two some time soon, I don't think it's going to survive long term. It looks like it's growing in some sphagnum moss, which is sometimes a problem for these plants, too.

These plants grow in nature attached to tree trunks and branches, so their natural form is hanging downwards so that the leaves can drain when it rains. Yours is standing straight up, which is what the mass producers of these plants do so they're easier to ship when in bud or in bloom. But it's unhealthy for the plants.

I'd suggest a new pot or basket for this plant with new bark medium, and put it on a slant at the edge of the pot so that when/if new leaves grow, they will hang over the edge of the container. The flowers will also cascade downwards when grown this way, so hang it up to facilitate this.

For now, keep it in good light and keep those roots growing, hope for leaves!

@dyzzypyxxy - thanks for the info. I only have moss on the top - about 1/4 inch. The remainder is bark. I will try your suggestions and see what happens.

In the meanwhile - here is a lot of info on Phalaenopsis culture right here on our Orchid forum, if one feels like spending some time!
The thread "🗣 Starting out with Phals/Supermarket Orchids 🛎 ✍️" in Orchids forum
and
https://www.aos.org/orchids/cu...

Christie; IF this Phal survives... call it Lazarus !

Or Monty?
The dead parrot sketch/ Monty Python! It is just resting😄😄!

I lost the center out of a Phalaenopsis several years ago. I had heard a lecture about pouring peroxide down the middle of the dead stem to kill the rot and then just wait. I waited quite awhile (a couple years) but wasn't willing to give up as it was a favorite. Now, it has recovered and bloomed. If its an orchid you like (or you're just up for a challenge) don't give up.

@Lucy68 Did you pour straight peroxide, or dilute it? I would like to try to save it - I had already killed a couple (considered myself a serial orchid killer :crying:), when I had my gallbladder out. After surgery, friends showed up at my door with this one, grinning ear-to-ear. I rather panicked, but they gave my specific instructions to care for it, which I followed to the letter, and it lived and bloomed for about 6 years. So it has some special meaning for me.

Christie, it's way too late for you to try the peroxide douse on your orchid. There is nothing but dried up leaf stubs, no sign of the fungus (or whatever) that took out the leaves. So at this point I think you'd do more harm than good with peroxide.

The healthy roots are a very good sign that there's no infection left. Just have to hope it still has enough life to put up new leaves at this point.

You are in wait and see mode. That little green bump is a sure sign something is happening. its a new top, not another root.

Check out this photo. The dark brown circle is where the original top was. The new top grew out from the side - just what yours is appearing to do.