Flower Spike?

[SRL]

This phal does have a terminal spike. This is a "just add ice" orchid I got as a gift. Don't worry I learned not to add ice, lol. It had blooms on the terminal spike when I got it. After blooming, the spike broke above that little leaf at the top when my cat knocked it down. Please see pics.The growth I'm talking about is growing off the terminal spike, but stuck in the leaf. I wish it would grow itself out of there. Any ideas on what I can do to help a keiki grow?

[JMNYC]

Originally Posted by SRL

This phal does have a terminal spike. This is a "just add ice" orchid I got as a gift. Don't worry I learned not to add ice, lol. It had blooms on the terminal spike when I got it. After blooming, the spike broke above that little leaf at the top when my cat knocked it down. Please see pics.The growth I'm talking about is growing off the terminal spike, but stuck in the leaf. I wish it would grow itself out of there. Any ideas on what I can do to help a keiki grow?

Sigh.....that is as I and a fellow member thought. I think you should just let the keiki sort itself out and it well might!

But, again, in my experience, the keikis may bear the same genetic anomaly which leads to terminal spikes. If yours is one, pls be prepared for that possibility while also remaining optimistic.

I love (and relate to) you care as much as you do, and so, are as focused as keenly as you are!

Edit: And, should you even remove what is growing from the crown altogether, the plant may well produce keikis at the base! Tho that feels a bit Draconian, right?

Again, I've only seen terminal spikes on semi albas---all three very healthy and with spectacular flowers in shape and number. I have a real weakness for semi albas, both Catts and Phals. Is yours a semi alba?
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Edit! I just delved and below is link to a thread somewhere wherein someone does suggest this may be genetic! That was my absolute impression over time re my three events. Huge commercial breeders can be careless, sloppy and just plain greedy.

Different Phal

[SRL]

Did a google search of semi alba. It may be one. The blooms it had looked similar.

[JMNYC]

Originally Posted by SRL

Did a google search of semi alba. It may be one. The blooms it had looked similar.

Sorry, I should have just been more specific: semi=half, alba=WHITE.

Re orchids, meaning white with colored lip.

I am not surprised, now leaning toward yours is one as well. My tiny sampling of only three individual plants over time all having this issue and all being semi albas, did lead me to conclude it owes to some genetic anomaly in some semi alba Phals! If not, now a lot of semi alba Phals!

Very sad, very frustrating for sure! Irresponsible breeding, even given most people do buy cache ridden Phals and treat them as if they were cut flowers, so they care nothing about them, forget being moved to learn to grow them on. Meaning, greedy commercial breeders/growers could not care less that they may have this serious issue, when the premise is, they are, after all, DISPOSABLE.

[SRL]

Very sad; at least I know what not to buy now....I still plan on caring for the plant and seeing what happens. Its fun times. Wonder what it is about semi albas?

[JMNYC]

Originally Posted by SRL

Very sad; at least I know what not to buy now....I still plan on caring for the plant and seeing what happens. Its fun times. Wonder what it is about semi albas?

It is TOTALLY sad! I've already shared both my experience with this phenomenon, and the conclusions I reached over time.....then delved quickly and put a link to some site where someone also feels this is genetic.

I do think trying...making honest efforts, being fully present each moment....is the default mode of healthy humans, so, I applaud that that feels like YOUR default mode!

And always remember: none of this is YOUR FAULT.

At the very least, this can be an important, even fascinating learning experience; not all of those are happy, but all of those are worth a great deal.

[SRL]

Update on my terminal spike phal...
That weirdly growing growth is a flower spike. I cut what was the terminal spike to give the spike more room. Check out the pics. And it sprouted another spike where it broke itself from growing weird. This plant had just finished blooming and was repotted back in April. It's also growing several new roots! Can't wait for the blooms! Does anyone think the blooms will be stunted or something because of the way the spike is growing? This is my first orchid so I really have nothing to compare this to.