phal spike has hooked tip
 

I'm concerned since this spike is very hooked at the end..another spike has started to come out also. Is this hook common?

AH Ha! I was wondering how Phalaenopsis snare so many people into taking them home. This explains everything.

On a more serious note, I have never seen this before, but I haven't seen as many phals as some other members - sure someone will chime in soon.

Never had that happen, but it might be that the initial tip is going to blast and so the node started a new tip to the spike.

this stem is very strange!

Strange spike indeed! I think it just may be one of those random things that happen once in a while. I have a Phal that loves to make spikes that grow in circles, and then go bury themselves in the base of the leaf!

phal has strange hook
 

Thanks for replying. At least I know now that it IS strange. Hope someone can tell me what I should do...if anythng. Again, it looks as if it's going to grow upside down?

---------- Post added at 06:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:46 PM ----------

What does "blast" mean?

paamul - It looks like there was some mechanical damage on the side of the spike that when it ealed created scar tissue keeping the spike from growing properly. It looks like it has compensated for the problem by sending out a side shoot. I would just leave it alone and let it do it's thing.

Thanks all...I'll just leave it alone and send updated photos if it puts out flowers that go up on the side spike and down on the hook. Should be interesting to watch.

I agree with glengary. The side of the spike may have gotten scratched, which stopped the growth of the spike at the scratch. I would imagine the tip will start to turn towards the light as it grows, and it will just have a little zig-zag in it. :)

Gage - I'm not so convinced that the original spike tip will continue to grow. I think that the node below the damage was activated because of the non viable tip. Remember, the only purpose a flower serves to the plant is to get pollinated, make seed and hopefuly make more plants. So in this case the plant activated the node in a move to preserve the gene pool, I may be terribly wrong but these were my thoughts. Only time will tell.

Makes sense. :)

I agree with Glen. And by blasted I meant that it quit developing or it aborted.

phal has strange hook
 

I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Right now it looks as though the hook is still growing but I won't know for a few weeks of watching to see if keeps it up. As far as I know, there was no scratching of the spike since it was under a leaf and wasn't touching it when the hook developed. I am glad that i do have another viable spike. Will send photos as this develops.

Thanks for the input!!

The tip of the hook broke off . . . how, I'm not sure. Where the hook broke, another spike appeared, and there are two other skinny spikes on that original one. Looks like I'll have very thin stems and probably not a lot of flowers. Probably should have cut the original spike which now has 2 flowers and another on it's way.