Phalaenopsis species flower stalk stopped growing

[Bethy]

Hello, what can be done about a flower stalk that started growing and then...stopped?

[Roberta]

Photo? And ID of plant? These both would help in diagnosis.

[Bethy]

Sorry about that. It's a Phalaenopsis Cornu Cervi. Do the buds take a long time to develop? I see a bud, but it's been there for about 2 months.

It's growing indoors, SW window, with only a 5-7F temperature variation between night and day.

[estación seca]

What kind of light is it getting there? What are your temperatures in the room? Humidity? What is the potting medium? When was it last repotted? How are you watering, and how often?

[Roberta]

Phal cornu-cervi spikes don't grow fast, and they tend to pop out a bud or two on no particular schedule. A spike can continue to do this for several years. Each time a bud blooms and drops, it leaves a little scooped-out spot on the spike. Over time, you end up with a neat-looking scalloped spike. They also tend to form new basal growths, which also then put out spikes. Which also last for multiple years making more flowers. So over time it can turn into a really attractive specimen, without taking up a lot of space.

Here's what it can do... can't get all the "action" into one picture, but it is a really rewarding plant.

[Bethy]

That is very helpful information. I'll be patient.

[Roberta]

When a spike is finally done, it will tell you, it will dry up and turn brown. As long as it's green, it will continue to "produce". Definitely be patient!

[tmoney]

Originally Posted by Bethy

Hello, what can be done about a flower stalk that started growing and then...stopped?

cry....

hehehe, but in all seriousness, if it hasn't opened in that long my guess is it won't. but we don't grow Cornu-cervi so i can't say for sure. either way, we always leave spike cause you never know if they will keep going, branch or whatever.

we tell our friends to leave them until it is so obvious it is dead they won't need to question it.

best of luck with the blooms!

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by tmoney

cry....

hehehe, but in all seriousness, if it hasn't opened in that long my guess is it won't. but we don't grow Cornu-cervi so i can't say for sure. either way, we always leave spike cause you never know if they will keep going, branch or whatever.

we tell our friends to leave them until it is so obvious it is dead they won't need to question it.

best of luck with the blooms!

Phal cornu-cervi (and several of its relatives in the Polychilos section such as Phal hieroglyphica) have a distinctive blooming habit. Those buds grow slowly, easy to miss them altogether, then suddenly, "boing", the flower opens. Typically only one or two at a time on an inflorescence, but new buds keep appearing at the tip, leading to those fantastic "scalloped" inflorescences. If you don't grow this species, you should! And they come in a range of colors from intense red, to yellow-brownish with stripes to aurea with no trace of red, and everything in between. So not only one, you could easily make room for several.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Phal cornu-cervi (and several of its relatives in the Polychilos section such as Phal hieroglyphica) have a distinctive blooming habit. Those buds grow slowly, easy to miss them altogether, then suddenly, "boing", the flower opens. Typically only one or two at a time on an inflorescence, but new buds keep appearing at the tip, leading to those fantastic "scalloped" inflorescences. If you don't grow this species, you should! And they come in a range of colors from intense red, to yellow-brownish with stripes to aurea with no trace of red, and everything in between. So not only one, you could easily make room for several.

What she said!

i have the normal and the yellow and i love them. waxy and super pretty....mine like the 2-4 flowers at a time move which is fine with me. lol

Untitled by J Solo, on Flickr

Untitled by J Solo, on Flickr