Phalaenopsis pallens ..so many keikis?

[vegetalmatter]

Pardon if this is a silly question

I bought this phalaenopsis pallens at an open house this past weekend and... it looks like a paph right?? Is this a sympodial phalaenopsis or is it just really prone to keikis??

I was thinking of just keeping them all in the same pot so the bloom show is even better. Does anyone think that would be a problem and I should separate them?

[Roberta]

I don't think of all those growths as keikis... they are much more intimately tied to the mother plant. Root systems are likely to be shared. (Baby plants with roots that grow on spent spikes are the true keikis, IMHO) I would definitely keep the clump together. First it's risky to even try to separate the individuals (think conjoined twins) Second, the display of the big plant is likely to be quite spectacular.

It's not sympodial, just tends to make basal growths. Some species do that. (Of course, it's also something that Phals that have lost their crowns also do, to keep themselves going. ) But I think this one is just doing what comes naturally. Enjoy the show!

[camille1585]

I also have a Phal pallens and though mine doesn't make any new basal growths, it is a prolific keiki producer on spent spikes. I'm guessing that this might be a species which naturally produced lots of new growth, the location of these depending on the plant. If you go to my flickr album in the link in my signature, you'll find photos of my plant with all the keikis. By the way, never cut off spent but still green spikes, they tend to wake up several months later and flower again.

As Roberta advises, it's best to avoid dividing Phals which make new growth from the base. The chances of badly/fatally damaging one or the other are quite high. That being said, have a good look at the base of the plant, I once had a Phal with multiple crowns, and it turned out to be 3 separate plants in one pot, growing very closely together. In that case, up to you to separate or not.

[Ray]

It is also possible that they were planted as a root-tangled clump from the flask.

[WaterWitchin]

Whichever it is, it's cool! I'd sure keep it all together and please take pictures when it blooms!

[DirtyCoconuts]

I agree. Keep it in a clump and share the pics!!

[vegetalmatter]

So in the last few weeks this plant managed to bloom from one of its existing spikes and I can say for sure that it was mislabeled and not a pallens at all.

I'm not that familiar with Phals so maybe everyone can chime in to what they think it is I'm guessing mariae?

Smells like peeling a mandarin.

[DirtyCoconuts]

it is beautiful!

[camille1585]

That's gorgeous!! It's always disappointing when a plant is mislabeled, but in this case I think it's had to be disappointed by those blooms!

It does looks like Phal mariae, but it could also be a (primary) hybrid of it. I don't have a whole lot of experience with this group of Phals, but I was under the impression that mariae had better defined spots that yours.

As to Phal pallens, it's a shame that you don't live in Europe, otherwise I would have gladly sent you one of my many established keikis!