Terminal flower spike - Orchid Board

lindasbabies · #1 10-23-2023, 05:34 PM

I’ve not been here for quite awhile but I have a question and a picture to share. I have a phalenopsis orchid, a no I’d, that I purchased 2-3 years ago and it was constantly shooting up flower spikes no matter the time of year and it wasn’t taking a break for vegetative growth so after a year or two of this I cut all the flower spikes off. It immediately sent up a terminal flower spike and I was heartbroken! I did post about it here at the time. So I thought my orchid was a goner and the leaves instead of being green started turning a yellowy green. I was checking on it the other day and found a new leaf coming out of the crown next to the terminal flower spike I had trimmed off! What’s going on do you think? I thought it could no longer grow leaves since the crown had grown a terminal flower spike!

estación seca · #2 10-23-2023, 06:58 PM

"Terminal" used with flower spikes doesn't mean "about to die." It means "coming from the end of the main stem", like a train terminal. There is a growth point (meristem) at the base of each leaf. Meristems can make new vegetative growths or flower spikes. Plants producing terminal spikes usually make a growth from one of the older meristems and the plant continues growing. Your plant is doing this.

lindasbabies · #3 10-23-2023, 11:03 PM

Then why is a new leaf growing up out of the middle of the crown where the terminal spike stump is. This is not the base of a leaf. I’m so confused now! Did you see the picture I attached?

tmoney · #4 10-24-2023, 12:21 AM

i think what es was trying to say is that the terminal spike probably grew from the node at the base of the leaf that hasn't formed yet (or is forming now)! so, even though the spike probly grew from the same place they usually do, this time that node was just buried up inside the growing stem.

could be wrong, so please correct me es, and sorry for jumping in the convo!

either way, the plant looks great! what are the flowers like?

Louis_W · #5 10-24-2023, 12:21 AM

Perhaps it is growing from the base of the leaf below, but instead of busting out the side of the leaf at the base it is just coming up through the center. In that scenario the terminal meristem is not affected and will keep growing as usual.

Just a guess... orchids do whatever they want.

I do agree with Seca though, terminal spikes aren't the end of the plant. Phals usually just start growing a new lead out the side. Either way you should be fine.

estación seca · #6 10-24-2023, 03:12 PM

Yes, and it could also be growing from a very low bract on the old flower stem.

lindasbabies · #7 10-25-2023, 03:16 PM

Thank you all! I didn’t know a Phal could survive a terminal flower spike! I read some where in my research that it meant the end. I guess that person didn’t know what they were talking about. This makes me very happy because this large Phal has gorgeous big white blooms when it flowers! It’s the second Phal I received and I love it. I just hope it doesn’t go crazy when it blooms again.

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Its leaves are not a healthy dark green like they were before the terminals spike emerged. They definitely are lighter green with a yellow tinge. Why would that be?

estación seca · #8 10-25-2023, 05:16 PM

Lighter leaves in Phals can be caused by too much light, or insufficient nitrogen or magnesium in fertilizing.

lindasbabies · #9 10-25-2023, 08:29 PM

Ok, then I’ll feed it again and move it out of direct bright light and see if that helps. I havent tried to do anything up til now because I thought for sure it was dying and wouldn’t survive no matter what I did. Thank you!

estación seca · #10 10-26-2023, 11:48 AM

Phals. are shade plants. They don't ever need sun on their leaves.