Phal flower spike hiding in growing medium

[miakaye]

I was just looking at my orchids a few minutes ago and I noticed something slightly sticking out of the bark of one of the plants, underneath a leaf. I gave it a gentle tug, and found this...

Needless to say, I'm in shock. How was this spike (with buds) growing under the bark for so long?!? I bought this orchid (a "finished phal" from Kroger) about a year ago and repotted and root pruned it (like always) right away. It has never bloomed.

The spike is twisted in an "S" shape, as you can see if you look closely. There's no way to straighten it out, of course. Should I just leave it as it is now? How could this happen?

[Roberta]

How? Easy, the plant wanted to bloom. When I get something like that, can sometimes gently coax the spike up over the edge of the pot with a small stake under it. But GENTLE is the important word here... you won't straighten it out, you can possibly direct it a bit. But it will grow toward the light anyway.

[miakaye]

Originally Posted by Roberta

How? Easy, the plant wanted to bloom. When I get something like that, can sometimes gently coax the spike up over the edge of the pot with a small stake under it. But GENTLE is the important word here... you won't straighten it out, you can possibly direct it a bit. But it will grow toward the light anyway.

Yes, it spiked because it wanted to bloom. But what I meant was, why would the spike grow into and under the potting medium instead of out and up?
I will take your advice and try to VERY gently coax it up a bit, just to keep it above the bark. Thanks.

[Roberta]

It just came from a lower part of the plant. There may have been a bit of medium, or something else, blocking it so it did the best that it could.

[rbarata]

Originally Posted by miakaye

...why would the spike grow into and under the potting medium instead of out and up?

That's a plastic and transparent pot. so even under the medium, there's light available.

[lambo1972]

That's crazy but I get it. I wonder sometimes if I put too much media on top of plants and might be blocking. Then again there are times I've been told not enough media. Orchids are a mad science!!! But fun!

[miakaye]

Originally Posted by lambo1972

That's crazy but I get it. I wonder sometimes if I put too much media on top of plants and might be blocking. Then again there are times I've been told not enough media. Orchids are a mad science!!! But fun!

Funnily enough, I did put a bit more bark in this pot than in all my other orchids. Perhaps that was partially the cause. You're right...it's a mad (but fun) science!!

[Kim in CT]

I also had a phal spike kink like this, although mine got stuck behind a leaf, somehow. I just let it do its thing, and the flowers eventually cascaded down like a bridal bouquet. It was quite lovely!

[miakaye]

Originally Posted by Kim in CT

I also had a phal spike kink like this, although mine got stuck behind a leaf, somehow. I just let it do its thing, and the flowers eventually cascaded down like a bridal bouquet. It was quite lovely!

Oooh! I hope mine does the same!