FDK spike growing roots

[Manu]

I know I've seen other people with this here, but am curious if there is a reason why it happens and if it will actually continue to grow as a spike or switch to vegetative growth? One of my FDK after dark black pearl spike is growing roots, see attached picture. Is there a reason why they do that, will it continue as a flower spike, abort, switch to a pbulb?

Catasetinaes are such weird plants lol

[SaraJean]

Ahh, now this I have had happen. No clue why, but my spike did develop and bloom normally other than producing roots that were about 1-3” long. But Katrina mentioned her spike switching over to a pseudobulb in her post on my thread so who knows??
Bad little orchids, always misbehaving

[katrina]

The spike that turned into a growth never produced buds...elongated and instead of buds, it made leaves.

I have had a couple spikes make roots but they never turn into real growths. Just strange roots on spikes...which died off when the spikes dried up. The spikes were shorter than normal but they had flowers.

[isurus79]

Spikes can grow roots sometimes.

Are you sure this is a spike? Looks like new growth to me.

[Manu]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Spikes can grow roots sometimes.

Are you sure this is a spike? Looks like new growth to me.

I'm not a Catasetinae expert... But it looks exactly like all other spikes I've seen from this batch of FDKs

[Roberta]

That looks to me more like a new growth. I have a Fdk. After Dark 'SVO' that has definitely broken dormancy very early... new growth is about 3" (7.5 cm) the second flush of roots are already 1/2" to 1" (1-2.5 cm) long, suspect that the first group that went down into the media where I can't see them are longer. That one is going start getting water in a couple of weeks. Other Catasetinae also show signs of breaking dormancy, though not as far along. Yours is still probably a month to 6 weeks (or more) from wanting water, but it is starting to wake up.

[Manu]

I really highly doubt this is a new growth.. if you look at the picture you can see it's getting a redish coloration which would be a pretty good indication this is a spike. I've never seen the new growths turn orange red. My 3 other plants from the same batch all had spikes that looked identical to this, except for the roots.

[Roberta]

Time will tell...

[isurus79]

Much better angle on that newest pic.

[Manu]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Much better angle on that newest pic.

Yeah I know, but I had no choice it was the only angle that showed the roots. It also doubled in size between the 2 pictures.

The roots keep growing, so is the spike (or what I believe is a spike). On this newest pic, I believe you can tell this is a spike. New growths in my case have never turned orangish like that, but spikes do. I might be wrong, these are some weird plants lol