Weird Spike Thing?

[sparklegirl46]

Hi, all - I am relatively new to keeping orchids. I have this lovely pink phal (small one, not a mini, but not full size) that was in bloom when I bought it in April. It had two spikes at the time.

Now it has two spikes again, but also has a third one coming in underneath one of the other spikes. I hope you can see it in the picture.

I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad, but I am puzzled by this.

Any thoughts?

[Orchidgirl83]

The two things on the right look like roots to me, not spikes.

[Leafmite]

I am glad that someone knows because those would have had me puzzled, too. They look so much like buds from another type of orchid!

[sparklegirl46]

The one on the bottom has a distinctive mitten shape, so I'm sure it's a spike..the one above it, at the base of the leaf, is still small, but it is pointy, not rounded. I have been watching both of them, and this morning I was able to get a really good look at the one below the leaf, and could see the mitten shape.

[merkity]

is it possible that the one above and below are the same thing? i have had phals wrap their spikes in knots as they grew...

[sparklegirl46]

Originally Posted by merkity

is it possible that the one above and below are the same thing? i have had phals wrap their spikes in knots as they grew...

That's my thought also, that they are both spikes. I need to wait for the one at the base of the leaf to get just a tad larger so I can tell. The one under the leaf is definitely a spike though; I can clearly see the little "mitten" shape.