newbie here

[mat]

Now don't laugh anybody. I'm so new, your keyboard might get green just reading this thread. But I have a question here:

I recieved an orchid for my birthday. Now the flowers have died and I'm wondering if I should clip the stems? and I'm also wondering what those new little ?"aerial roots"? are? are they new shoots or is it just that, roots growing into the air. I know that orchids are, for the most part, air plants so I thought they might be roots but... meh, I'm rambling.

Don't laugh too hard.

[bodaciousbonsai]

Hello, well it depends on what type of orchid you have. It could be kei kei,s. airel roots, or new growths! but if you are seeing signs that it is growing then your orchid is doing good

[ScottMcC]

the best way for you to get a full answer is to post a few nice photos of what's going on with your plant, and if you have the name (partial or full, doesn't matter too much) that helps too.

the reason I say this is that there's thousands of different orchids, and while you can care for most of the gift orchids in the same way, there are a few exceptions.

[justintimedc]

Matt, like Scott said, there are so many different orchids, we need a picture of yours, or one like it, to answer your questions. Some orchids you will want to completely clip the blooming stem off, some you will want to cut it back to a certain point, some you wouldn't want to cut at all! So let's see it!

[cb977]

Hi Mat,
Does the plant have a name tag? That and a picture would help us to help you
Looking forward to hearing more from you

[justatypn]

aboard Mat. An orchid question is never to silly, you just remember we all started out the same way with "our" first orchid. It's great that your here with your question, the OB community has come along way and a wealth of information awaits you, please use the gallery for storing and sharing your orchid s. If you have a photo of your orchid...send her' down..

[Tindomul]

Hey Matt, welcome to Orchid Board. No one laughing here. We all had an easy to answer orchid question at some point, but as you can see, it hasn't been easy to answer, so its not a dumb question.
Now, can you describe for us a little more about the plant, and the roots. Then we can help you out better

[mat]

O.K. First, thanks for not letting me feel like a dolt. And second. My orchid looks similar to the first picture in plant structure but the color and shape of the second picture.

My orchid has 7 "shoots" pointing straight up from the soil and no flowers on the stems.

[cb977]

Hi Mat,
Yours is a phalaenopsis and I always cut the stem all the way back. There are some who cut the stem back to the 2nd or 3rd bract and hope for a re-bloom but those blooms tend to be inferior to what the plant can do.

Here's a link to help you along:

http://www.phals.com/rb_care.html

[mat]

Wow, awsome thanks. But what are those "roots" that are pointing up. Are they new shoots or are they just that, aierial roots.