Originally Posted by james mickelso (Post 695743)

Keikis are not a sign of impending doom nor unhappiness with the world. They come when the plant's program tells it to. Phals as with some other monopodial orchids propagate in this manner. I have a phal that has put out three keikis and the mother is still fat and happy. I just have not seen too many phals produce spikes below the last spikes. But lots of keikis which in infancy look just like spikes. I too was thrilled when this little tyke started to throw what I hoped would be a spike. Then another, and another. Alas they were all keikis. A spike usually has that mitten look and the end is fatter than a keiki. A keiki has a pointier end.