Root/spike that never materialized?

[Optimist]

The roots are in the root zone, the flower spikes come from between the leaves, from the crown. If you just got the phal, it may have been artificially induced to have a flower spike-- as that is what a lot of florist-nurserys do. The next blooms will be in winter but possibly next year. In other words, it is just a green plant until it starts developing the flower spike in the fall to early winter. The flowers once they show can stay on for up to six months which make phals awesome plants and why people like them so much.