Advice on Phalaenopsis Spikes

[Roberta]

There also some non-fragrant ones that bloom sequentially - for example, Phal cornu-cervi can keep popping out flowers on a spike for several years. Those it's important to wait until the spike is brown and crunchy before cutting, of course. The one shown by the OP, though, does not appear to be one of those sequential bloomers - there might be some in the parentage of the plant to keep the spikes green for an extend period of time. For most hybrids, the presentation on new spikes is more aesthetic even if an old one might put out a blooming branch. But I don't see that showing on the example either. If it were my plant, I'd leave the old green spikes, though, just to see what might happen.

[Clawhammer]

I'd cut them all and have a dramatic rebloom Safe either way. Enjoy OP!

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by Orchidtinkerer

ES, most multiphals will not produce 6 new leaves per year, most multiphals have 6 leaves in total!

Phals in warm temperatures and with decent humidity grow much faster than people growing them in cold houses could imagine.

June 21 2020. Look at the third photo: Rescue: Phal. White Dream 'V3' AM/AOS

Now, with 3 new leaves in the last 163 days (one new leaf per 54 days):



And that is a plant that I repotted in June with only one viable root.

My hybrid Phals growing in S/H in my warm, somewhat humid sunroom have routinely carried 9-10 leaves each.

[Mr.Fakename]

Originally Posted by Roberta

There also some non-fragrant ones that bloom sequentially - for example, Phal cornu-cervi can keep popping out flowers on a spike for several years.

The world deserves more cornu-cervi. Speciment plants with tons of keikis and spikes are amongst the most impressive orchids!


Sequential bloomer or not, fragrant or not, I let all my Phal with their spikes until they're done with them.
More mass = stronger plant, and they can recycle most of the nutrients and water.

Don't worry too much, the "problem" will solve itself.

[New2Orchids2020]

Originally Posted by Orchidtinkerer

Hey Sam, a new leaf per year is as good as you can hope for with phals and a new flowering if you are lucky. If you cut the old spike it will produce a new one sure but it takes months for an orchid to produce it, it takes a lot of energy so cutting it off doesn't mean it happily produces a new one, it means it has to.
Your orchid is looking fine, for every new leaf a phal produces, it can produce 1 more flower spike, another reason not to cut them if your phal is only producing 1 leaf per year.

This phal here is regrowing a new spike on the top of last years spike - it will be a much smaller spike as you can see but this does not bother me as I know the plant is saving energy for next year - it would certainly be investing more energy if it were producing a new flower spike - instead it is focussing on new roots at the moment instead of flowers which suits me fine as it had too little last year so I am expecting a bigger display next year. I also believe if I had cut the spikes on this plant it would not have produced a new spike this year so I would have had no flowers at all. I also believe I actually should be cutting this flower spike to stop it developing to let the plant save even more energy but hey... I will sacrifice a bit of growth for a few more flowers

Orchidtinkerer,
I like what you said-the spike that is cut off means the orchid has to grow a new one and it takes lots of energy.

Good information, thank you!

[dimshane]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Phals in warm temperatures and with decent humidity grow much faster than people growing them in cold houses could imagine.

June 21 2020. Look at the third photo: Rescue: Phal. White Dream 'V3' AM/AOS

Now, with 3 new leaves in the last 163 days (one new leaf per 54 days):

Attachment 149187

And that is a plant that I repotted in June with only one viable root.

My hybrid Phals growing in S/H in my warm, somewhat humid sunroom have routinely carried 9-10 leaves each.

This thread made me chuckle because I could not imagine how impatient I would be seeing a Paul grow one new leaf per year! ES made some good observations. I live in a tropical climate and my phals grow about 5-6 leaves per year. Even that was making me impatient, I should be more grateful.