Bleeding flower spike

[notsogreenthumb]

This could all be unrelated but here are the details. My phal shot a spike, then i think the spike got damanged some how and died then a new grew to a good length and then the top 4" died and any blooms that tried to mature fell off and died and all the while, during the growth of either spike, it bled a brownish liquid the whole time.

There is a stain on the cloth I have sitting under my orchid pots. There are little beads collecting all along the spike. I cut back the dead tip of the spike but I figure at this point it's too late in the season to have any success with blooming.

[WhiteRabbit]

That doesn't sound good. Can you post pix?

[notsogreenthumb]

not much to see I'm afraid. It is not longer producing the slightly sticky liquid and aside from no more growth, it looks like an otherwise healthy plant but I will post a pic.

[notsogreenthumb]

you can actually see a little spot of the brown liquid on photgraph one and two

[WhiteRabbit]

I don't know what might cause that - hopefully some other members will be able to help. Good luck!

[Roly0217]

That actually seem like sap extruded from the bracts of the spike. I have seen this most orchids that are budding. Think of it as the plant being happy and producing enough nutrients. If you rub it you should feel it sticky. Not much to worry about

[JaneEyre]

I agree with Roly. It looks like a happy plant. One of my phals produced sap like that as well.

[notsogreenthumb]

I guess I just had REALLY bad luck with this one this year. It was temperamental from the moment I brought it home a year ago.

Thanks all