Monnierara Millenium Magic Spike???
 

This is my very first, and it has 2 spikes. After I came back from my trip, the spike seems kinda strange to me, and I am not sure if this is how it forms and grows the blooms. Color is kinda yellowish since the beginning, and now when blooms are forming there are the signs of black, which should be the color, it just seems strange and weird and nothing like spikes I have had before, is this normal?

that looks as if its dying. Mine has 2 spikes and neither looked like that when developing. I hope I am wrong.

Tommy,
Spike should be green as in your last pic and the flowers should not be open the way they are at such a young age. The buds don't develop their full color until close to blooming. They'll start off a white/yellowish color and gradually get darker and larger until the blooms open.
Unfortunately, it looks like its not receiving enough light, dying or you've gotten a plant with mutated flowers.


:(

Judi

I'm sorry, but that's exactly what my spike looked like last winter when it died.

did you get some insecticide spray on the spike by accident ? that could do it too. Let us know because I have heard that spray can cause bud blast, but obviously never tested that theory myself

Many thanks, I did not like the way it looks, so I did think something is wrong. It might be the fact I was gone for a week and my hubby did not water it enough. At least the second spike still looks ok, so will see, I will be happy with one:-)

---------- Post added at 07:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:55 PM ----------

YES, orange guard, and that might be it, I guess:-(

I had never heard of this product, seems promising from what I read.

They have a warning on their website

"Try to avoid absolute new growth, and open blooms"

so it is probably the product that caused the bud blast.

to me it appears the spike is aborting may be for stress,this type of problems has happened many of my orchids.Think it is due to environmental stress causing the
spike to abort.
veekay

oh no I am so sorry, mine did not look like this and it still does not look like this. I hope others are wrong.

Orange guard is awesome, however I did kill already 2 of the blooms with it. It is water based, safe around food, and when I bought it I asked Thomas from Broward Orchid Supplies if it is safe for the spikes and buds, since I did need it for cattleya bud that got attacked by ants after out of the sheath. He said absolutely yes. I killed that bud on cattleya because after spaying the liquid kept inside the sheath and before I realized it it did rot. This one is probably also killed by orange guard since I did spray it when it was very young and just starting, so it may be my fault again:-) Well, again, we learn from our mistakes, I hope second spike will have better luck and will open for me, I was truly looking forward to have this baby bloom, so fingers crossed!