What is this?

[Sandra75]

After the flowering was done on this Phal, I cut the spike right above the knot to have a new spike of flowers to grow.

But this is strange, doesn't look like a flower spike, what is this?

[Paul Mc]

Looks like a keiki (baby). Some phal's produce babies readily while others will only produce babies when they sense danger (death). You might want to check the roots of the mother just in case to ensure that there is not an issue with the original phal.

If everything is fine, it may take up to a year for your keiki to grow large enough to produce roots. Best of luck, and congratulations!

[Sandra75]

Thank you! The roots in the pot looks great ... I think! Just the areal roots or roots above the moss looks really dry. Is dry in my apt.

Should I depot this Phal? I don't know how long this Phal has been in this sphagnum moss.

And here is a pic of 'before' When it was in flower .... Now that I am remembering, I accidentally broke a new growing leaf while cleaning the leaves ... I wonder if that might of triggered the 'baby'

[quiltergal]

That sphag moss looks well past it's prime. Now would be an excellent time to repot. Beautiful flower!

[Sandra75]

Thank you!

I should re-pot! Do I trim roots down a bit? I read somewhere to trim roots to about the 1\3 to 1\2 of the leaves length?! And cut all mushy dead roots out.

[Daethen]

Don't cut the healthy roots. Get rid of dry or mushy roots and then put it in the smallest pot you can fit the roots into.

[PinkCloud]

Congratulations on your keiki! As Daethen said, don't trim the healthy roots and try to be careful when you repot that the roots don't snap or break.. That has caused me some serious root rot later on with a few phals! And if you can't fit all the aerial roots in the pot don't worry about them. Let them grow outside the pot and catch the humidity from the air.

[Paul Mc]

If you cut, be sure to sterilize the equipment first and then lightly dust the cutting with cinnamon (regular store bought). But only do this lightly! While cinnamon acts as a natural anti-bacterial and anti-infection, it can also slow down root development and other growth (i.e. flowers).

In answer to your accidentally breaking a leaf which might have caused the keiki, I would personally doubt that. In nature, phal's produce a hormone that stops the production of keiki's. When the plant is wilting or in other danger of dying it stops producing the anti-keiki hormone so it can propogate and save itself. Or at least, this is what I remember of what I read - I may have it a bit off of the facts. I've accidentally broken a leaf here and there as well, but never had any keiki's as a result. I did have a keiki from one phal that is now almost dead though.

[Lilly B]

I've only had one Phal ever produce a keiki and it was indeed quite ill. I repotted her and harvested the keiki. She is now 7 years old and has a double spike this year and her keiki has bloomed at the exact same time as her mother every year since I cut her away. Actually she bloomed 4 months after I cut her away. Good luck with yours. I think repotting and getting rid of any soggy or dead looking roots would be a great idea.

[Sandra75]

I re-potted that phal ... however, I broke some good roots while repotting. Was so hard to fill out the pot with the bark.