Ascofinetia Cherry Blossom spikes...dead? cut?

[shayna71708]

Hi! I have an Ascf. Cherry Blossom "Carmela", and it arrived in spike (two spikes). The plant is small, but I guess that's normal. The spikes have already dropped their flowers and started turning brown though. I've had it for maybe three weeks? When I got it the first spike was in full bloom and it dropped its flowers maybe a week later.

I don't have any others like this one - am I supposed to cut the spike? It seems like when I see pictures of them, the spikes are really long so I am worried they might be sequential in which case I think the spikes are dead. They are brown. The plant itself is green, the roots look fine...but the spikes definitely look brown.

Do I just leave the spikes, or should I cut them off? Also, I received it in a basket which I hung from an east window that is shaded by our patio for the second half of the day. I mist it every couple of days and I water it every couple of days...but I'm wondering if maybe I'm not giving it enough water?

[WhiteRabbit]

I don't believe these are sequential bloomers - as plants mature they can get bigger spikes, and culture can also make a difference. If spikes have dried, they are dead.

Is there any media in the basket, or is it bare-root? Where do you live? What's the climate like right now? (temps, humidity). Is this in full sun all morning, or partly shaded, or dappled light?

[dendro king]

i have that one too!
yes cut off the spike as it looks ugly and not neat. the spikes will get bigger the more the plant matures.

[shayna71708]

Mine is in bark, and it retains water about as well as oil it seems like. It's also in a plastic basket that may as well be a wooden vanda basket with how many slats there are and how large. The roots are just chilling out all over the place, which is kind of amusing.

I live in Washington state. It's in an East window that overlooks our covered patio, so it gets bright light in the mornings and less direct light as the day moves on. It has indirect light at least until 7pm or so. I don't know the specific humidity...I haven't gotten anything that reads that (yet). But, it always rains here and our windows are always open (even if it's raining - unless it's pouring), so I would imagine there's quite a high level of humidity.

[WhiteRabbit]

If you have roots hanging out all over, if those look good and are growing, I think your watering is probably fine. Yeah, I bet it's damp there. It sounds happy, so I'd keep doing what you are doing

[dendro king]

mine is mounted and has super long roots that just hang down!
it has two spikes emerging through the bottom two leaves!!!! YAY