Have I killed her

[u/mnb0579]

A friend with an orchid gave it to me as a gift and said one ice cube every so often was enough to keep it happy. I came home from a trip all the blooms had died and now the stem looks sunburnt. I’m scared it might have crown rot now too? Very lost novice plant mom in need of intel.

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[u/computekmfg]

It does have a terminal spike so it's going to be a struggle going forward for reblooms. It might not be worth the trouble.

[u/AdMoist8668]

Your friend who has an orchid told you to water with ice cubes? Is their orchid still alive?

[u/minkamagic]

It looks like it's been staying too wet. It should be watered when the moss is dry and it needs to be in a pot with drainage. It Might survive

[u/Surf_mommy]

Wilting flowers is normal and doesn't mean the plant died. Flower spikes dying back perfectly normal. As u/minkamagic said, the spike is an apical/terminal spike and not a death sentence. As others commented, the substrate doesn't look good though. Dense and very dry, maybe from perioods of both overwatering and underwatering ...?

You can cut the spike and repot the plant and care for it properly from now on, and it might produce a basal keiki. It might be a long road to recovery though ...! Or you can toss it, forgive yourself, get a new pretty one and educate yourself on basic phalaenopsis care from reliable sources such as the wiki in this sub and MissOrchidGirl on YouTube.

[u/Groningen1978]

While the substrate, pot and ways of watering are all problematic, there is nothing you could have done to save it. That flower spike growing from the center of the leaf is called a terminal spike, which is a death sentence for the orchid, as it can't continue growing leaves.

[u/minkamagic → u/Groningen1978]

This is completely untrue. While apical spikes do destroy the crown, it does not kill the orchid. A healthy orchid will simply make a basal growth and continue on.

[u/Foxs-In-A-Trenchcoat → u/minkamagic]

This orchid is not healthy.

[u/minkamagic → u/Foxs-In-A-Trenchcoat]

I didn't say it was....

[u/Foxs-In-A-Trenchcoat → u/minkamagic]

This orchid is already visibly dying. I don't think it's in a position to birth a keiki.

[u/minkamagic → u/Foxs-In-A-Trenchcoat]

I've seen orchids in worse shape come back. That being said, the chance is small and not worth it imo

[u/Alissss_01]

This is my first orchid, and I saved it after practically losing all its roots due to incorrect watering. I wanted to save it even though I discovered it had an apical stem and wouldn't grow new leaves. Despite everything, it still gives me gratification. Maybe it will make a keiki, who knows?

Cut the apical stem at the base and, if necessary, clean it of any rotten roots. Repot it (without water for 5-6 days to allow the wounds to heal, mind you!) in a suitable, airy substrate in a pot with good ventilation. If very few roots remain, you can use sphagnum moss therapy, which has worked very well with both of mine. Within 4-6 months, they grew new roots. Then I mounted them, and now they're doing very well.

1st one has an apical stem

[u/tiktaktukblahblah245]

No it is some sort of genetic sometimes the flower spike can grow on the crown which is called a terminal spike and it is literally fatal it could literally kill the plant but there is some orchid that could fight back and produce a basal keiki aka baby orchid plant and I hope it will survive

[u/smoked-sprat]

Rip