Black Spots on the Leaves of an Orchid

Black Spots as a Mild Issue

• Some types of orchids, particularly those from higher elevations such as the miltonia and zygopetalums, develop harmless black freckles on their leaves in an environment that is too hot or dry. They'll go away when the growing environment improves.

Black Spots as a Mid-Level Issue

• If the black spots are hard, this is scale. Scale is an insidious creature that will infect all the plants it can get to and suck the life out of them. Isolate the infected plant, go to a good garden center and get the strongest treatment they've got for scale. Apply according to directions for a multi-week period to get the adults and the babies that are hatching in the potting mix.

Black Spots as a Crisis

• If the black spots on your orchid's leaves are soft and mushy, you have a viral, fungal or bacterial infection. Quarantine the plant immediately. This will require an appropriate spray or treatment depending on the type of problem as well as the removal of the affected tissue.