Terminal Spike What Now?

[Luckyelfie]

At the Pacific Orchid Show I let my daughter pick out an orchid. She chose a Phal Anna-Larati Soekardi "Wilson". It's a lovely orchid. I transplanter her immediately and she has put on lots of new growth and a new spike. Last week she was just plugging along with tons of root growth. Today she has what looks like a terminal spike. WHY?! Her leaves look good, she is putting on massive roots and is working on some lovely new blooms. Is this the end of this phal? Is there anything I need to be doing?

[estación seca]

Don't worry. This is common. This particular rosette of leaves will eventually die in a few years. In the mean time, it is highly likely to make another growth from the base.

Most Phals normally form multiple growths from the base. For some reason people think they need to cut them up, but they do better left as a clump. Your plant otherwise looks great. With the good care you have been giving, I expect before long it will make another growth from the base. This might take a year or more. Don't give up. The existing rosette will stay alive for a long time.

It also might make one or more new plantelets on the flowers stalk. These are called keikiis. They can be separated and potted up when the roots are about 2"-3" long.