Flower Spike?
 

My phal looks like it is growing a new flower spike, but it is curving backwards into the leaf base in a split. I've attached some pics. Hopefully they aren't too blurry. Should I cut away this leaf, or just let it grow to see what happens? I'm worried the spike will be stunted or something. New to orchids. Please advise.

Do nothing.

Let it grow on its own.

The spike will eventually orient itself towards the light source.

If you feel that it's stuck, gently pry it free with a skewer. Don't use your fingers or it'll break.

It's difficult to tell, but the coloring makes me think it is a root that is curving back towards the plant...although the third picture makes me second guess myself.

If it's a root, same advice. This time, you can wet the root and pry it free if it's really stuck. Just gotta find the right opportunity.

Thanks. I'll wait for it grow some more. Can't wait to see what it is!

i had one that did that - and it came out just fine - it curled like that and managed t ogo around the plant to the otherside.

I wouldn't do anything. I've broken spikes trying to free them when they have started like that so I prefer to just leave them now. They generally sort themselves out.

So I should have left the growth alone, I wiggled it out and it turned yellow and dried out. I cut it off. :(( However a new growth is happening and I have not touched it, but it is kinda doing the same thing. It has broken itself. Attached are some pics. I'm hoping it may spike anyways.:think2: The plant does have a few new roots growing.:verycool:

Is the new growth you're talking about the one that's growing in the crown between the leaves? If so, I hope that's a leaf... not a spike.

A spike growing out of the crown is usually a bad sign, at that point I think the thing that most people do is hope that the plant will produce a keiki.

Indeed: terminal spike: the last, desperate attempt of an unwell, OR genetically compromised Phal to stay alive, given, often, such plants produce basal growths when the flowers on the terminal spike fade. I had this phenomenon present on no less than THREE semi albas, all found over time, and all hugely floriferous and gorgeous. So, my take is, this propensity can be a glitch in the breeding/genetics...and, if it is, the keikis might well manifest this issue too. I failed to save any of these three lovely Phals after their initial, terminal bloom.

But in this case, I think its many not be a terminal spike, tho not positive, given, while something inflorescent like--to me, not rootlike--- is clearly curling, it also appears something other than a leaf has emerged from the crown.