FREAKS!! MUTANTS and WERIDOS!! -OR- "I bet youve never seen one of THESE before..."

[DirtyCoconuts]

I could not find a "what the heck???" thread so here is a starter


post up your oddities and weird plant stuff.

I was visiting my sister and enjoying her cool plants and i spot these nice Phal leaves and go to take a closer look it was in a pot with another plant and positioned against the side...i spotted the curved spike and tried to wiggle the plant out but it was wedged in by the spike and growing buds!!!! i freed it but there is a whole spike with at least one branch all rolled into an area under 2"?!?!


Nodosa by J Solo, on Flickr


and the branch of spike off the spike


Nodosa by J Solo, on Flickr

just wow

[Fairorchids]

I have something similar in the greenhouse right now.

It is an intergeneric Oncidium, which has 2 spikes forming normally inside the two inner basal bracts, and a 3rd trying to break out of confinement between the 1st and 2nd bracts. I try to loosen the bracts each time I go, but so far all I have is a loop (and I can't tell which end is the tip).

[DirtyCoconuts]

Ha! That sounds tricky!

[DirtyCoconuts]

here is a new oddity - this vanda had a big root that was shooting out mid length of the plant and it either was sunburnt or damaged at the tip at some point...well it was undeterred and it has decided to become three roots instead!

More ‘chids by J Solo, on Flickr

from far away i thought it was a weird spike, but no, roots

---------- Post added at 02:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:00 PM ----------

and here with the tip in focus
More ‘chids by J Solo, on Flickr

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

.well it was undeterred and it has decided to become three roots instead!

Nice! I would have called paranormal activity squad if that had been three flower buds!!!!!!

[DirtyCoconuts]

you are not kidding...from across the yard i was really confused. Especially because of how well i know my plants...for a vanda to make a spike that long it would have had to be visible for more than 2 weeks in my experience and there is no way id have missed it....so confused...still pretty odd

[Leafmite]

Plants are forever interesting, aren't they?

[Fairorchids]

Originally Posted by Fairorchids

I have something similar in the greenhouse right now.

It is an intergeneric Oncidium, which has 2 spikes forming normally inside the two inner basal bracts, and a 3rd trying to break out of confinement between the 1st and 2nd bracts. I try to loosen the bracts each time I go, but so far all I have is a loop (and I can't tell which end is the tip).

I didn't get a photo of this spike while it was still a 'loop' caught in the bract. Eventally, I managed to pry the tip loose, which is when I took this photo.

Now, a month later, the spike is virtually straight, so there is no sign that it started with a handicap.

[DirtyCoconuts]

i had to dig up this thread for this one in a million shot

i am rooting some Monstera cuttings and look at this growth, through the hole and then out performed the older branch?!?! just wild

Green stuff by J Solo, on Flickr

[ColoradoBirddog]

I'd never seen a Phal grow keikis on spikes, until recently.