Always a flower spike, never a keiki

[Jim S]

I have a phal. which blooms constantly, and is without blooms only 2-3 months a year (or less). I've tried multiple times to start a keiki, but they always end up as a new flower spike.

The keiki paste is a little old now, but as soon as it's applied a spike forms very quickly, so I think the paste is ok. I have optimal good growing conditions, plant is very healthy. I will admit that because the plant always is in bloom, or has buds, I apply the paste on the lowest nodes while it's in bloom.

[camille1585]

Sometimes you can't do much about a plant's propensity for making spikes instead of keikis. I'm guessing that if the plant doesn't havemuch/any keiki producing ancestors, then the chance of getting a keiki may be much lower.

I do recall reading, years ago, that sometimes keikis could be triggered instead of spikes by placing the plant in low light after applying keiki paste. Keiki producing Phal species do seem to produce more when grown at the lower end of the light intensity range they'll do well in. I see this with my Phal equestris which produces keikis yearly in my previous home where they were grown in north facing windows. When I moved and put them in very bright south/west lighting the keikis stopped...

[Dimples]

I have only gotten flowers from my applications of keiki paste, but in addition to the lower light like Camille suggested, I’ve read that higher temperatures can help encourage keiki formation instead of flowers. I’d imagine the temp trick is most useful for winter/spring “cold” blooming phals but I haven’t tried it yet. Once our outdoor temps are regularly in the high 80s and 90s I’m planning on trying it.

[estación seca]

It's not inconceivable some plants will never make keikiis.

[Jim S]

Next time I will definitely try moving the plant to a low light area. I tend to push my orchids with with high levels of light, using appropriate filtering as needed.

[Ray]

"Always a flower spike, never a keiki" - Yes, a terrible problem. One we all should have.

[estación seca]

Phals flower better in lower light - 1000 foot candles most of the year, up to 1,200 for 6 weeks in late Fall, then back to 1,000.