Unsual spike?

[flhiker]

Hi I have a mounted Phal that has put out 2 spikes and one appears to be a keiki. Have anyone seen them form like this one? And a couple other spiking Mounts

[mehitabel]

Your mounts look great.

The keiki-- what a beautiful little thing it is. Enjoy!

[kiki-do]

Is that a true spike? Why I ask is that when my P. Doritis Champorensis did that and I posted a picture of it here on OB, most said it was the spike of death. That is was dying and sending out that same type weird keiki for survival reasons. Both spikes bloomed for me nicely and all seems okay still. Your pic gives me hope!

[jkofferdahl]

The mountings look great!

That may or may not actually turn out to be a keiki. Sometimes the nodes get that appearance and still the spike grows and blooms. Since the spike is still growing I have to guess that may be the case with yours.

[BikerDoc5968]

I also have wondered about this anomaly since I have an old spike that I left inplace because I thought it might generate a keiki....so far nothing but a side spike... the new flower buds are on the spike that goes off to the left.

[quiltergal]

Dave, you plant in pic number 1 looks like it is spiking from the base of the plant and not the center where new leaves form like Kiki's plant. If it had come from the center it would be what's called a terminal spike. The plant won't be able to grow any new leaves and will eventually grow old and die. The only hope in that case is it might form a basal Keiki. Then the plant can carry on business as usual. Looks like yours is trying to decide if it wants to be a Keiki or a bloom.

[flhiker]

Thanks everyone, I looked much closer and noticed that both spikes are coming from the bottom and below older roots. Hopefully it will survive. I was worried because that plant just before mounting it had fallen of the shelf and damaged the leaves. That's why you see the marks on the leaves.