Spike growing in a serpentine

[Manu]

Originally Posted by JScott

Look at the Wiki page you linked to, and look at the pictures at the bottom. The second one, "Fasciation on a flowering cherry" is what I think is going on here. The abnormal tissue doesn't involve the whole width of the spike, just one side. As the affected side elongates excessively while the other side of the spike does not, it causes it to bend.

All that being said, you'll never know for sure what happened, but I doubt very much that it is anything to worry about or that there's anything you need to do to keep it happening again. The next spike will probably normal.

---------- Post added at 09:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:02 PM ----------

Here, look at this: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/imag...Fasciation.jpg

Yeah I'm really not worried at all. Seeing how the bottom spike that is subject to less light has the same behaviour to a lesser extent makes me believe it's probably related to light more then fasciation. But I'm really glad you shared this as I had seen a Phal equestris in a green house that had a spike exactly like the picture you added a link to and thought it was the weirdest thing and now I know how it's called so thanks!! Whatever it is, I'm going to bed smarter tonight so that's good lol

[JScott]

You're welcome! I'm glad I could help (kind of haha). Good night!

[Manu]

Originally Posted by JScott

You're welcome! I'm glad I could help (kind of haha). Good night!

Actually, analysing the spikes further, it looks like the ovary (is that the right term?) is fusioned to the flower stem and seems to be the cause of the bending. At least, that is where it bends. I'm not sure if it's fusioned due to the spike bending, or its bent because of it....

I have another plant from this batch with an early spike, I'm tempted to put it in that spot to see if it reacts in the same way...

[Dollythehun]

The middle of that article did mention that. It would make sense but maybe the less common manifestation. It will be unlikely to happen again so, enjoy the wonder of it.
Jscott, your picture reminds me of Contorted Hazelnut 'Henry Lauder's Walking Stick.'

[Manu]

So this guy opened all his flowers. The serpentine spike makes an interesting compact cluster of flowers!

I have another fdk that was in the windowsill with him. He was growing it's spike normally and I left it there until yesterday. Well it only took about 24 hours on the shelves to start twisting his spike around like the other one. If this is in fact fasciation, then it seems to be caused by a hormonal change from the lights and temperatures.

I'm starting to think this is simply caused by the light source being stronger behind, even though straight above. Any thoughts? Here's a pic of the spike from the 2nd one. I kept this one in the windowsill much longer, the first one got moved before buds appeared, when the spike was maybe 2 inches long, so I think as the spike grew and twisted around to go backwards it caused that fusion of the ovary and spike? Just a theory!



And here's how it looked when I first put it on the shelves 24 hours before.

[Dollythehun]

I think it's your light source. I just had a Phal do something similar. The fact that #2 did the same, is the tip off.

[Manu]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

I think it's your light source. I just had a Phal do something similar. The fact that #2 did the same, is the tip off.

Sure looks like it. So I'm wondering if this is fasciation caused by a hormonal changes due to the light source change, or simply the spike reacting to the difference in light orientation and not fasciation.

[isurus79]

I had to look up the word fasciation, which seems to focus on the growing tip. However, the plant spike actually moved four full flower buds back towards the light, which seems to indicate something other than fasciation. Just my thoughts on a topic I looked up on Wikipedia! lol

[Manu]

In case someone wonders how the twisted spike came out..

I kinda like the cluster look lol