Doc,
I don't recall if you grow outside. Was it subject to strong (or not so strong) winds?
Perhaps you went to high on the spike to clip.
Sorry for your loss
Nick
Having it happen one is bad enough, but twice, on the same plant? How upsetting!! I've broken spikes too, it's not fun. Hopefully they will still bloom if you put the spike in a glass of water.
__________________ Camille
Completely orchid obsessed and loving every minute of it....
Ouch!! Sorry I've done that a couple times and thought "Now why did I do that, really dumb!!!" Learned my lesson and had to wait AGAIN Now I let it bloom where ever it wants to bloom if I didn't get it staked soon enough. I kept snapping off Phal spikes. No more, if they want to grow off an old spike so be it.