Terminal spike on phal

[stripey-novice]

Hoping for some advice!
I’ve got a phal which came from a nursery back in March. I think it has a terminal spike which the nursery have cut? (It arrived like this)
It had two flower spikes in bloom when it arrived, the first has dropped its flowers now and I’ve cut right down as the spike seemed to have dried out. The second spike has a few flowers still but they are starting to fade.
It doesn’t look like it’ll have new leaf growth. Seems to still have plenty of healthy roots. What should I do next?

[fishmom]

It does look like a terminal spike, but that does not have to mean the death of the plant. Repot into some fresh medium, give it plenty of humidity and water, fertilize lightly, and with any luck you will get a basal growth.

[aliceinwl]

My Phalaenopsis with terminal spikes have just pushed basal or side growths whenever the main growth would have started pushing new leaves if there hadn’t been a terminal spike. The plant seems healthy and I second Fishmom’s advice, it’ll do things in typical Phal fashion (slowly), new growth will just come from the base or sides rather than the crown.

[stripey-novice]

Thank you so much both!

I've currently got the orchid soaking ready to re-pot shortly into fresh bark. I've cut the remaining flower spike down too as the flowers were starting to look pretty limp. Will watch with intrigue and see what this one does next!

[stripey-novice]

Well this one isn’t wasting any time! Two bits of growth noticed this morning. Remains to be seen what she’s doing, but she’s doing something!

[estación seca]

It's hard to tell, but those might be roots, which of course is excellent news. Roots tend to start as round bulbous green things. New leafy growths tend to start as flattened green things with a point on the end. New flower spikes on this kind of Phal tend to start in the fall, and initially look like new leafy growths. Soon they take on the appearance of a mitten.

[stripey-novice]

The lower growth I think is a root. The one that’s higher though, I’m wondering now if it’s a flower spike?

[aliceinwl]

Time will tell. I think it’ll either be a new side growth or a spike ;-)

[stripey-novice]

I’m impressed at how it’s changed in a few days. Looking forward to seeing what it becomes!

[stripey-novice]

I’m completely fascinated watching plant! I think there is one keiki there, and on the underside of the leaf which has the terminal spike there is now a little growth. And one of the old flower spikes looks like it’s putting out a new shoot.