the Terminal Spike question thread

[SnowBird]

Hello!

New user, but not necessarily new to orchids. I still classify as a beginner, I think. I rescued a phal that wasn't doing so well and brought it back to good health, and it's happily growing a spike right now - if a short one! My question is about terminal spikes, which I just heard about today. I have been looking around and can find bits and pieces of information, but I still am full of questions.

What causes a plant to grow a terminal spike?

Do ALL orchids eventually grow a terminal spike?

Is there orchids that will keep growing after growing a terminal spike (unlike a Phal, for example) and not die?

Is there things one can do to avoid such a spike?

Is there any species of orchids that do not (or are at least not known to) grow them?

Sorry, I know that's a ton of questions. But I thought it could be nice for others who come alone with the same questions to have them all in one spot, too!

[WhiteRabbit]

I don't believe that all Phals will eventually get a terminal spike. As to why it happens - might just be a cellular or genetic glitch of sorts.

"Terminal" does not equal deadly - Phals (being monopodial Orchid Board - Most Complete Orchid Forum on the web ! - Glossary) can no longer grow from the crown after a terminal spike (terminal referring to termination of growth). They can still however start a new crown, and can still bloom from unbloomed leaf axils. I have a Phal that grew a terminal spike a couple of years ago - it has spiked twice since then, and has a new crown growing.

Terminal spikes are normal for many sympodial Orchid Board - Most Complete Orchid Forum on the web ! - Glossary orchids (again, terminal referring to termination of growth) - Paphs and most Catt alliance come to mind.

I'm not aware of other monopodial orchids besides Phals that may be subject to terminal spikes - but I suppose it could be possible.

[SnowBird]

Thank you for the info!

I knew the name was because of the location of the spike, however it also did seem appropriate as an "end of life" word, as most of what I read said to chuck the plant. Thought it was a sort of double meaning. What does it mean to start a new crown? Will it start growing leaves like before, but from a different place on the plant? Is it the same with Sympodial orchids - that the terminal spike means they can't grow from that location any more? I am reading that those can branch so it sounds like it wouldn't be too big an issue.

[WhiteRabbit]

The crown is where the new leaf growth comes from. Your plant may start new growth from the base of the plant, or from a leaf axil. I suppose there's no guarantee that it will - but there's no reason to expect that it won't if it's otherwise healthy. It might also get keikis (baby plants) on the spike. Now - I can't say how long before any new growth might be big enough to bloom (I haven't gotten that far with mine yet) - but, as I mentioned before, it's still possible for your plant to bloom, if there are leaf axils which haven't produced spikes.

Sympodial orchids grow outward from a rhizome - new growth starts from the base of a matured growth, then grows to maturity, and whether or not there is a spike, that growth is finished - as opposed to monopodial orchids, like Phals, that grow upwards from the crown