double spikes on recently blooming Phal

[moongirlz]

I noticed the other day that one of my Phals has what appears to be two spikes emerging from the same place.

We've had this particular one since early June 2018, as it was a gift. Up until 3 weeks ago, it had been in bloom for maybe 3-4 months, maybe longer (including a second bout of buds after a month of initial bloom).
Something else we noticed was that the potting mix was unusually damp and that some of the roots had changed color from their normal green to a dark purple (they're still plump and it doesn't appear that there is mold or rot). We water all our orchids once a week, but haven't touched this one since noticing the still damp bark.


I've been helping my grandmother out with her collection of ~12 Phals for a few years, and while we have a number of plants that bloom up to 3-4 times a year, sometimes one spike after another, this is something I haven't seen before.


Is there anything else I should keep an eye on, or be aware of?

[estación seca]

They double-spike sometimes.

It is also possible this is a normal growth offset forming at the base. Phals grow this way, and form clumps with age. The more growths together, the more spikes you can get, so I don't divide them.

[camille1585]

I had that too this season on one of my Phals, also the first time I've seen it. Only the bottom one continued to develop, and I'm curious if the other one will eventually wake up and grow into a full spike.

[Paphluvr]

I'm only addressing your watering/damp mix issue. The coconut husk chips look good but when was the last time it was repotted? Does the pot have good drainage and not sit in another pot with no drainage holes? Also, it's hard to judge from your photo the pot size relative to the plant size. Could it be overpotted? Maybe you could post a photo of the whole plant, including pot.

[moongirlz]

Originally Posted by Paphluvr

I'm only addressing your watering/damp mix issue. The coconut husk chips look good but when was the last time it was repotted? Does the pot have good drainage and not sit in another pot with no drainage holes?

The pot is clear plastic, 6 in diameter, with decent drainage. It sits in a plastic holder that catches excess water after watering, which we pour out soon after. It was repotted a little under a year ago. I'll add a photo soon.

Originally Posted by camille1585

I had that too this season on one of my Phals, also the first time I've seen it. Only the bottom one continued to develop, and I'm curious if the other one will eventually wake up and grow into a full spike.

Exciting! I'm curious to see if one or both of mine will continue to develop too.