Keiki's on my Psychopsis Kalihi

[Goatherder]

I am looking for advice on how to best remove and pot a couple of keikis that are growing on my Psychopsis.

The plant is not doing the greatest. It has a flower spike that branches into three. It flowered several times after I first brought it home this past spring. Then it lost one of its two leaves, then just started blasting any new flower buds.

I finally repotted it on sphagnum moss with clay pot. It hasn't grown any new leaves or pb's, but it has sprouted out 4 keikis , the bottom two of which have 3 decent length roots. It also grew several new branches on the flower spike and recently had a bloom.

I would like to remove and plant the keikis without hurting the flower spike if that is possible.

Also what would a good medium to plant the keikis in? Should I try S/H with these?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

[Merlyn]

What's "decent length" roots ? 3" or more is good. I'd try to break it away from the spike and cut it with a sterile single razor blade if it won't break off easily. Be SURE to sprinkle both cuts or separation places with cinnamon !!! I'm not a fan of S/H. I would pot the keiki in a fine bark mix or finely chopped tree fern. They HATE being repotted so I would do nothing when deemed necessary other than a VERY GENTLE drop pot into the next size pot. Don't be surprised if it sulks no matter how easy and gentle a drop pot you do ! You have a very temperamental and sensitive plant there !! GOOD LUCK !!!

[Goatherder]

Merlyn,
Each has 3 roots, the longest is maybe 1-1/2" with the others maybe 3/4", so it will be a while to get to 3". Thanks.

[Merlyn]

I would just make sure to keep watering and fertilizing the keiki roots for a while, but that's just MHO !!!

[zxyqu]

Agreeing totally with Chryss on this one, with one exception. I've never taken a kieki without cutting the spike. I dont know if it's possible, it probably is,. just never thought to try.
Psy just dont like repots, dont really know why, but I could probably repot a nearby plant and it will sulk. However, I did hear a great suggestion from Ray Barklow on S/H kieki potting, that I've used with good results. I also grow all three of my Psychopsis in S/H, 2 doing really well, one still pouting after 8 months...
So if you're thinking of trying that, you want to set up an S/H pot just below the kieki, and let the roots grown down into the S/H for a month or so prior to cutting it off the mother plant. This prevents some of the stress involved in a repot. However, I've never tried this with a Psychopsis, only phals.
If you dont want to try that I'd go with what Chryss suggested, in a bark or even coconut husk media.

[Daethen]

I have never heard of psychopsis branching like you are talking about. Do you have a picture of the plant and spike?

[Goatherder]

Hi Jonada,
I've added photos to my original post. The photo that shows the keikis only shows 3, but there is a fourth a little higher up. The top two do not have any roots yet. The plant just finished a flower on the middle spike, on the new branch that had formed there.

I am not sure if my plant is dying and trying desperately to reproduce, or if it is happy.

Bob

[Arenalbotanicalgarden]

I've divided Kramerianum with the spike on. The current flower doesn't lat long but they root up pretty quick.Another vote for tree furn or coconut. Here's one in the wild.