How do you get phalaenopsis to throw out multiple spikes?

[nidiasophia]

I saw some pictures on the internet of some of the msot beeeeeyoootiful phal orchids with like 3 spikes on one plant and even spikes with multiple branches....

Is there a trick for getting them to do this?

[OrchidSue]

A lot of it is genetic depending on the plants in the background that may be prone to multiple spikes and branching. Culture does play into it as well, but ultimately it is the plant that does what it wants to.

Susan

[kasper6767]

I dont think there is a trick. Except having a very healthy plant with a very good root system, good growing media and fed well.

I guess when it spikes you get what you get. I wish there was trick!

[RosieC]

Yeah, you have the best chance by just keeping the plant really healthy... after that genetics plays a big part, some are more prone to it than others.

[trdyl]

I am pretty sure commercial growers have found a way be keeping the plant in a growth cycle for extended periods of time to get larger plants that are more capable of sending up multiple flower spikes once flower conditions are met.

[nidiasophia]

Originally Posted by trdyl

I am pretty sure commercial growers have found a way be keeping the plant in a growth cycle for extended periods of time to get larger plants that are more capable of sending up multiple flower spikes once flower conditions are met.

Thats a good point...

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by trdyl

I am pretty sure commercial growers have found a way be keeping the plant in a growth cycle for extended periods of time to get larger plants that are more capable of sending up multiple flower spikes once flower conditions are met.

Yeah, I remember someone here saying how they do that in a past thread. I think it MAY have been Camille but I'm not certain.

Anyway hopefully I've remembered this correctly...

They keep an entire greenhouse of Phals at a temperature that not only promotes growth but inhibits spiking. They keep then in that condition for OVER a year (i.e. over the normal growth cycle). The phals grow fast and are just 'itching' to spike. They then switch the temps down arround 10 degrees centrigrade for arround 2 weeks then raise the temps back up. All the orchids in the greenhouse then spike at the same time and they can ship the entire greenhouse stock at the same time. They can time the spikes to the planned shipping dates and also because the plants have grown so vigourously they are likely to give multiple spikes.

I think some phals are genetically more prone to multiple spikes even on small plants, but large healthy plants will also do it (my largest Phal always seems to produce two).

[Troythediver]

I know this is old, but I found this:

Methods to increase the number of floral spikes in Phalaenopsis orchids

Apparently, there is a method using light that can increase multiple spiking... The patent/technology license request doesn't have all the info, but it does show that there is more to it than just a healthy plant.

Office of Public Affairs, Academia Sinica

[james mickelso]

Genetics plays the largest part. They are indeed manipulated into blooming all at once. They are kept very warm, bright diffused light, very windy, and humid. The high humidity only serves to keep the grower from having to water as much. When the grower is ready to ship to their markets, they manipulate the light length, and temps, to initiate spiking in the entire growing house. There might be 50,000 plants in one house. So if there are a few that are virused you can be assured they won't throw away all those plants and guess who buys them? That's right. But multiple spikes is mostly, nearly, all genetics. This one originally had tw spikes and now 6 months later it is throwing another two spikes. Genetics plays the biggest part. So if you want multiple spikes or branched spikes, buy those that grow that way to begin with.

[Troythediver]

I'm not sure why you are mentioning viruses. Are you trying to imply that viruses plants are more likely to throw multiple spikes?

The source I linked to was for a company applying for a technique licsence. In other words, they had two groups of genetically equal phalaenopsis plants. On one group they performed a new technique or procedure. That group had a statistically significant increase in MULTIPLE spikes per plant compared to the other group.

So there is a way via husbandry, completely separate from genetics, to get a phal to throw multiple spikes. Unfortunately, the application does not state specifically what was done because the purpose of the application is to protect that intellectual property that was developed.

I was posting this to see if anyone here had insight to the technique because it would be fair game to use it as long as it is not for commercial gain....from what I understand.

Again, this is a technique for multiple spiking of a single plant not spike initiation in general. There is a lot of info already out there concerning temperature and light for getting a single spike on a plant to begin to form.

I should also note that this is referring to a double spike and not a branched spike. From what I can tell the current info out there does indeed confirm that heavily branched phals are a result of genetics primarily.