Phal keiki that grew it's own keiki??

[gabrielacocinera]

Hello, I'm hoping someone can help me.
Hi,

About a year ago I removed a keiki from one of my orchids and put it in a pot. Today, upon watering it I noticed that there might now be two. How did I not notice this before considering they are in front of my sink on the windowsill? I have no idea. Today I happened to take a closer look because I was looking for bugs and it hit me that I might have another baby here.

If I do have another one what do I do? They seem pretty happy. The original did bloom about a year after removing it from the mother plant.
I'm at a loss.
Also, this baby has a different flower color than the mother. Is that normal?
I'm going to try attaching some photos.

If anything seems wrong with these plants please tell me as I am a novice with orchids when it comes to knowledge about how to best take care of them.

Thank you.

[nicola]

Hi,
very interesting.
your plants look healthy and happy.
I do not think there is reason for concern, indeed you should be proud that they grow so well.
You can leave the two keiki, together, they will produce a more abundant flowering.
The second seems to be a basal keiki, and it might be more difficult to separate.
Regarding the difference in color, slight differences in size and color of the flowers, in young plants are normal.
But if the difference is the one you see in the first photo it would be quite out of the ordinary.
Congratulations,
* Nicola

[No-Pro-mwa]

I agree, I would leave them together. How cool you have different colors.

[gabrielacocinera]

Thanks so much for responding.
Together they will remain.

Is there any time that I would have to separate them? Or can they stay like that for years and years? The "new" one has no roots in the soil that I can tell. I do put them in the sink and spray them once a week until the roots turn greenish. Is that ok?

---------- Post added at 05:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:23 PM ----------

Thanks so much for the advice. I didn't know they could grow together indefinitely. Good to know.
And yes, the first photo is of the mother and baby. I posted that to show how different they are. I was under the impression that a keiki was a kind of clone and that they would look alike. I have a mutant phal, For some reason a lot of my plants do strange things. Which can make life interesting.

[bil]

Leave them together. What will happen is that eacch will grow longer and longer until you have to cut the base off, and they will then separate.

Personally I prefer large chunks of bark (2") and nothing else, in a larger pot.