New Growth and Indentification help

[KPinNC]

Hi All,

I was given an unidentified orchid near the end of blooming. Not know what to do with it, I put it in a bigger pot. A keiki started to grow, and I learned that it may be because of duress. However, the Keiki roots have started to grow, I have either a new root or stem on the the base of the mother, and I'm getting new sprouts on the stems.

I love watching this thing everyday. Anybody who can tell me what it is, and what I should be doing with it, would be appreciated!

[silken]

It could be duress and I would suggest changing pots. That pot looks much too big and this can lead to root rot. They are usually potted into a pot that is just a bit larger than the root mass. This keep the centre from staying too wet for too long and rotting roots.

Some Phals are more prone to producing keikis and it could be a sign of over fertilizing also.

[Paul Mc]

It's a phalaenopsis, but they are bred so much that a further Id would be near impossible.

Second, you should pot it so that it is actually root bound. Your current pot is way too large. They do better being root bound.

Keiki's are signs that either its about to die or is extremely happy and has the energy to reproduce. Some Phals reproduce more readily than others though. That's a new root coming in on the mother, but how are the Rhee roots? Did it have many healthy ones? If it had plenty of healthy roots then chances are its just happy. The opposite is true is there weren't many roots.

[cbuchman]

It is a Phaleanopsis, but beyond that it is impossible to tell. It does look over potted to me. Orchids, like to be in the smallest possible pot that will hold the roots. A good medium is 50% bark and 50% sphagnum.

When you repotted it, did the roots look healthy (white/Green and firm)?

The first picture looks like a root, You can see the white sheathing at its base. The second picture, although a bis fuzzy, looks like you spike is branching.

[KPinNC]

Thanks Paul. Byt "Rhee roots" I assume your talking about the roots of the mother? She had a lot of them and they were healthy. I'm trying to figure out what the new growth is coming out of the stem. I have 2-3 new sprouts. I thought it wouldn't bloom again with a keiki on it. It's been in this new pot for about 4-5 months. Should I still downsize?

[KPinNC]

Thanks Silken. I feel like an abusive parent. However, I did not over fertilize. The pot has a drain hole at the bottom. It that maybe why it hasn't rotted the roots yet?

[Paul Mc]

Sorry, yes, other roots on the mother, lol... I'd still downsize it. The baby in the flower stalk may flower and so could the flower stalk itself if its happy. We usually cut the baby off though once it's roots are about 3 to 4 inches long, and then plant it. Producing a baby takes a lot of energy from the mother though, so blooms may not happen until the baby is gone and/or self sufficient.

[silken]

Originally Posted by KPinNC

Thanks Silken. I feel like an abusive parent. However, I did not over fertilize. The pot has a drain hole at the bottom. It that maybe why it hasn't rotted the roots yet?

It takes practice to figure out how your conditions work best for the orchid so don't feel too bad. Good drainage is very important and I usually use a pot with many drain holes-preferably a few on the sides near the bottom too. So long as the entire contents are drying within about a week right thru to the centre it might be fine. Otherwise rot will slowly happen. In the wild these orchids grow on tree branches with their roots exposed to all the breezes and tropical rains. They get wet often but dry off quickly. So you want to imitate that as closely as possible while still having the convenience to yourself of it being in a pot which is easier to manage than mounted on a tree! So you want open airy potting media that dries out after being very well watered and drained. If all of that is happening, then I would just leave the keiki on till it grows 3 inches of root and then plant it.