Is this a separate plant (keiki)?

[Siamina]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if the part of my Orchid (Phal.) one can see, is actually a (already a bit grown) keiki? It doesn't look like it is connected to the main crown?

What do you think?

Thank you,
Sara

[Roberta]

It is a basal growth, which shares a root system with the mother plant. If you try to separate them, you will very likely kill both It is one of the ways that Phalaenopsis propagate... they tend to reach a maximim height and then make these new growths to form a clump, even if the mother part is in good condition, It is also a way that it can recover from loss of the crown of the main plant. Phalaeopsis often make actual keikis on spent flower spikes. Those are independent plants and can be separated from the spike after the roots grow to 10 cm. or so.

[SteveM]

I have several Phals that grew basal Kiekies and so I started worrying cause A lot of what some people were saying on you tube is that the mother plant is sick and going to die. That's not always the case and I have never seen that to be the case, although my experience is limited. I have learned to take what I hear from youtube with a grin of salt.

All Phals with kiekies are doing great and it has been over a year, I like the bushy look to them, Thanks to Roberta for her advise on this over a year ago.

[Roberta]

You're welcome! Depending on ancestrry, some Phal species tend to form clumps just in general, rather than just getting taller. But for all of them, there's a limit to the vertical growth... has anybody seen a 6 foot (2 meter) Phal plant? So while the dominant growth pattern is vertical (monopodial) they all will spread out eventually. And each of those basal growths can bloom, so that leads to an even more floriforous display.