An interesting phal and baby phal

[rwiskavitch]

I rescued a phal from the trash at Home Depot about 2 years ago that was in spike but very dry. I watered and nursed it and the flowers lasted about 5 months. I never cut the spike back because it never turned brown and time went on. Eventually about 5 leaves and 6 roots sprouted at the end of the spike and then it spiked from the new growth. The blooms lasted 5 months and fell off. I repotted the parent orchid in the spring this year because the medium was deteriorating. I just checked yesterday and now I have yet another spike at the end of the old spike that never turned brown. The roots of the parent plant are healthy and have grown over the edges of the new pot.

My question is: should I cut the plant at the end of the original spike after the flowers fall off? Both the parent and infant plant are healthy or should I leave it alone?

Thanks
Roger

[campchi]

I'll leave it alone, simply because of the beautiful bloom will put out a nice display.

[My Green Pets]

It's up to you at this point. If both mother and baby are indeed healthy, they can be happily separated. Leaving them together makes for a bigger, showier plant, particularly when in full bloom.

[lotis146]

I second Cambria. My Phal had twin keikis whose roots started to shrivel, daily misting wasn't helping much, so it was best in my case for me to remove them. They're now both in spike. That would be awesome to keep them together if they remain healthy! Good job.

I have a Lowe's rescue whose spiking and the old spike is growing two new branches.

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