kikei growth on dendrobium

[marcey]

I'm really not sure what type of orchid this is. I think it might be a dendrobium. so, it's growing a kikei--baby. I think that's what it's called. What should I do with it? Should I remove it and plant it separately? I just want to make sure that I don't kill it. Also, reading about dendrobiums, should I not water it in the winter? Thank you in advance for your feedback.

[jbigio]

It looks like a den noble type. they like strong light, water regularly but let it dry between. This type need a mild winter rest where you will let it dry out ( cut watering to half as often) and a slight cooling off period. As for the Kiki when it gets roots about an inch to an inch and a half you can gentle twist it back and forth till it comes off and then plant it. Kikies often grow on dens when they are under stress from either fertilizing to often, watering to often. This kind of den also does very well mounted and allowed to hang.
Joe

[marcey]

thanks Joe for the recommendation. I went ahead and removed the kikei. I also had another question. I've had this plant for 2+ years now, and it still hasn't bloomed. What can I do to get this thing to bloom?

[Don Perusse]

Too late now, but personally I would not have cut the keiki off as the plant doesn't look all that robust to begin with. I would stake the plant so the canes grow upright instead of angling off to the side. Remove the spag. More light than phals. but less than cats. Water and fert. on a regular basis, letting it dry out someout in between. Good luck with your Den. and new keiki.

[jbigio]

Don I would have to disagree the kiki is doing nothing to add to the vigor of the parent plant and in fact its the other way around. Removing the kiki will give the plant more energy. as for blooming these plants need a cooling and drying period each year in order to bloom. you can accomplish this by keeping it near a window that's slightly open for 4 to 6 weeks. Let it dry out as well, I just water twice a mont at this point. once you see new growth then you can start watering and fertilizing as usual. This plant does very well mounted where the natural downward growth can be appreciated.

[jags]

Hello,
The thumbnail pics are of a dendrobium- Cane type..
Most cane type dendrobiums when they are stressed throw a keiki. From the leaf image it looks as though the plant is stressed too much. You can see the leaf having wrinkles. Also the dendrobes cane is slightly thin and weak. You will not lose the plant but dormancy- Yes. You can remove the keiki and plant it in another pot. Keikeis can be removed by a simple rotating action. Remember to put a contact fungicide at the removed end.
JAGS

[cb977]

Hi Marcey

I'm happy to hear you removed the keiki. It's roots were definitely long enough (they shouldn't be removed until the roots are 2-3" long). The plant looks stressed and the keiki was most likely not doing anything to help it recover.

I don't like sphag for most chids, I'd repot this one into some bark (I use aliflor or Hydroton but most folks use bark). Remove it from the sphag, check the roots, remove any brown mushy roots with a sterile clipper and put it in fresh bark.

Without the plant having a name, we can't really know for sure if it's the type that needs a winter rest...but even if we knew that it did I'd recommend continual care for it until it's happy again.

What is your watering/feeding schedule? Lighting?