Alien Phalaenopsis found growing in Maine

[Orchidflowerchild]

I dunno that those are keikis. I think you may just be looking at foliacious bracts. bracts are, after all, just modified leaves...sometimes, they become very leafy.

-Cj

[Bird Song Farm]

Wow! I might have foliacious bracts.!
Now, I need to know if I leave them or cut the spike after the flowers die............

They arent' contagious are they?
Dorothy, you can keep your nubbins I got bracts!!

Thanks -Cj
AL

[Dorothy]

Aw rats .. I want bracts, too

[Bird Song Farm]

Nope, you got nubbins, facets and assets! You can't have bracts too!

All kidding aside -Cj, will they get roots like keikis? Is there something I can do to encourage root growth on them. Will a flower spike emerge from them? Gwen NEEDS a keiki!

Al

[Dorothy]

[Orchidflowerchild]

well, if they are just leafy bracts, then they won't make roots. You may still get a branch or a keiki from the nodes at the base of the bracts.

-Cj

[jkofferdahl]

I once had a hybrid of Phal lueddemanniana that did this on a pretty regular basis. Almost every time it spiked it grew at least one or two keikis even while growing buds.

[Bird Song Farm]

Originally Posted by Orchidflowerchild

well, if they are just leafy bracts, then they won't make roots. You may still get a branch or a keiki from the nodes at the base of the bracts.

-Cj

Now that is just plain weird. A 'clone' of sorts? So you are saying that as long as the spike is alive and viable these leafy bracts can produce flowers? Sorry for the questions, just never heard of this. Do you know the odds of this happening?

jkofferdahl...........-Cj seems to be saying that these aren't keikis but individual plants that can produce keikis or flower spikes......I may be reading it wrong, if so I hope -Cj will help set me straight.
Al

[quiltergal]

Al I think what CJ is saying is they are just leafy bracts and won't ever do or be anything. When the spike dies they will too. However, should you wish to encourage Keikis the viable nodes could still produce a Keiki just like on a regular spike.

[gmdiaz]

I am so laughing. . .And I really thought that I was getting the hang of all this orchid business! And now I have to worry about foliacious bracts! So much for roots or nubbins? So much for having a clue what's going on.

Standing by to listen and learn.



I love you guys!