Keiki with no roots/leaves, but has buds?

[Pleaseandthankyou]

Hi there,

Is anyone able to tell me what the heck this thing is doing? I am new to orchids, other than managing to keep this thing at least somewhat alive for the last year. About 4 to 6 weeks ago I started noticing the old flower spike was sprouting something. After a quick Google search, I thought perhaps it was a keiki. I operated on that assumption until today, when I did some further googling to see when I could separate it from the mom and discovered most keikis have roots and leaves. Mine only has flower buds. Does that mean it has to stay with the mom? I am not sure how much longer it will be able to physically support itself because it is about 16 inches long. Mom is roughly 3-3.5’ tall from the bottom of pot to arch of flower spike. And it is not the most steady thing as it is because I tried to repot it once after I overwatered it, and repotting all those gangly roots is apparently not my strong suit and I didn’t want to stress it anymore by doing it again. So once this thing blooms, I’m afraid the flowers will only weigh it down more and make it more unsteady or break it.

So I’m here for help obviously. First to find out once and for all if that thing is really a keiki or just another weird flower spike. And also, how to ensure it is physically supported enough that it survives further growth and blooming?

I really really appreciate any help anyone can provide.

Please and thank you in advance!

[Dimples]

That is just a normal secondary flowering off a node on the old spike. It’s bonus flowers. Your plant must be happy.

[Roberta]

Welcome!
That's a really good reason not to be in a rush to cut an old spike that is green - it may branch and give you a bonus. Just let it do its thing.

[Pleaseandthankyou]

Wow okay thank you both so much! Yeah my coworker has a bunch of orchids and he said they sometimes cut the spikes off but he said just to leave it just in case and whadayaknow. I’m sure am glad it’s happy. My boss gave it to me for my birthday last year so I’ve felt even more obligated to keep it alive, so it’s been a little bit of a stressful ride. Then this year she tells me she could never keep them alive and I’ve done such a good job that… she got me another one!

Anyway thank you both sooooo much!

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