what is this? - Orchid Board

mattryan · #1 01-05-2011, 02:41 PM

and happy new year to all...Any ideas what this may be?? First i thought spike then root now i have no idea...if it were to be a spike would it not be on the other side of the plant not on the same side as this new one growing? Any ideas would be great...and on a sad note my crown rooted phal didn't make it

sorry the pics are a bit blurry that's the best i could get

Call_Me_Bob · #2 01-05-2011, 02:53 PM

I really can't tell. You'll just have to wait and see what happens. I have seen pictures of phals with three spikes coming from virtually the same spot all at once. So I wouldnt rule out a spike from that.

Sorry to hear about your phal. :'( there is only one thin to do now. Go out and buy a replacement, and that replacement needs a traveling companion, so get two instead of one. ( never let an orchid be lonely!! )

You can call me Bob

WhiteRabbit · #3 01-05-2011, 04:08 PM

looks like a root to me - the color and shape and glossiness - of course, I could be wrong ...
You will probably be able to tell before much longer

mattryan · #4 01-05-2011, 05:06 PM

ha ha bob soo true! unfortunately running outta space. It kinda looks like a spike that went back into the stem weird...i'll post some picks when it gets a little bigger it's a small phal and the pics are hard to get not blurry. Thanks for the responses

cheryl

mattryan · #5 01-05-2011, 06:30 PM

Here are some better pics maybe someone has seen this before and should i worry?

WhiteRabbit · #6 01-05-2011, 06:58 PM

yes, one of my Phals did this recently - the spike was having difficulty emerging - I made the mistake of trying to gently help it out, and broke the spike. But, then the plant pushed out 3 new spikes from the same leaf axis - tho I certainly couldn't recommend trying that lol.

Not sure if you should wait a bit to see what it does on it's own - I hope some others can maybe advise ...

RosieC · #7 01-06-2011, 10:45 AM

I agree with White Rabbit. It looks like a spike which is trapped while trying to emerge. I think I would wait a bit and see if it manages to clear the leaf on it's own. It would be very difficult to free it without breaking it.

mattryan · #8 01-07-2011, 03:27 PM

Well i waited and it just kept getting a bigger bulge so i tried (unsuccessfully) to pull it out...broke it off...sigh..oh well it's growing another spike right below so i'll still get some flowers....I was afraid it was going to come up through crown or come out other side of the plant..Thanks for the help maybe i'll get lucky like white rabbit lol

WhiteRabbit · #9 01-07-2011, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattryan

Well i waited and it just kept getting a bigger bulge so i tried (unsuccessfully) to pull it out...broke it off...sigh..oh well it's growing another spike right below so i'll still get some flowers....I was afraid it was going to come up through crown or come out other side of the plant..Thanks for the help maybe i'll get lucky like white rabbit lol

aw - that's too bad. You never know - I certainly didn't expect to get 3 new spikes at the same location! But even if something like that doesn't happen, at least you have another spike, and the plant could possibly grow another spike to "compensate" for the broken one ...

mattryan · #10 01-07-2011, 05:02 PM

just a quick ? should i put cinamon where the spike snapped off? It's right at the base of the stem between where it came through the leaf? Thanks again white rabbit