keiki - stay or go??

[oceanwithin]

Hi All,

I have a GORGEOUS doritis that I picked up at Trader Joe's about a year ago. There is a keiki growing off the base, it was always fairly small but with the warmer weather setting in, the keiki is getting huge! It's almost as big as the "mother" plant. I'm wondering, should I try to break it off and plant it separately? It feels to be firmly attached, and I don't want to hurt either the mother or the keiki plant's roots if I try to remove it. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!


Kelli Bricker
Chandler, AZ

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Kheikis will remove themselves from the mother plant on their own. When this happens, if you shake the kheiki, it will easily come off as a separate plant. No cutters required.

[Dorothy]

Hi Kelli
Could you post a photo of it ?

[Ray]

It sounds more like a "basal offshoot" than a keiki. Sometimes monopodial plants will simply form an additional growth front like that.

In plants like ascocentrums, neofietias, and the like, after a while the individual plants will have their own root systems and can be separated, but in the case of phals, they more often tend to simply grow together that way forever.

Hmmm.... We often refer to such a basal growth as a keiki, but are we incorrectly (inappropriately) broadening the definition?

[Lagoon]

I have a couple with some strong basal growths, it's in they're nature. Curious why do you want to remove it
I'll keep mine they way they are - I think it looks neat, so I vote for keep together

[quiltergal]

If you leave them together they will make an awesome specimen plant. Just imagine what it will look like with both of the blooming together!