Vanda sanderiana-Bonchoo x Vanda Taveesuksa

[ingse]

This vanda is in bloom for the first and last time because it has a terminal spike. It is a real pitty, because the flowers are beautiful. The plant has no keikis.
[IMG]
Vanda sanderiana- Bonchoo x Vanda Taveesuksa by Ingse2011, on Flickr[IMG]

[Wynn Dee13]

That is a pity. It is a beautiful flower. What causes a terminal spike? I never heard of them before joining this forum. I grow mostly sympodial orchids so I have never experienced one. Do they live for a while after the blooming? Maybe it still will grow a keiki. Thanks for sharing.

[ingse]

I do not know what causes this to happen exactly.
I have only seen it in Vanda and Phalaenopsishybrids so i guess something goes wrong somewhere, when we tamper to much with nature.

[Wynn Dee13]

I wouldn't be surprised if it was caused by humans messing with nature.

[tucker85]

Beautiful colors! I've never had a terminal spike on a vanda but my phals that have had them always form keikis. Good luck with your plant. It's very nice.

[Bud]

Relax....your plant is not dying
its just too beautiful to die

terminal

Botany = growing or appearing at the end of a stem, branch, stalk, or similar part.
Or: final, ending in, or approaching death; fatal: terminal cancer; a terminal patient.

This doesn’t mean it is the end of your plant or it is the death of your plant….the term ‘terminal spike’ used is as a descriptive adjective meaning it came out from the center at the very end of the stem=just a mere terminology
You can cut the spike after the bloom and a new leaf will grow from it ….if there is a root forming in between the crown and the top: then cut it two leaf below the root and you can have two plants….life goes on for Vandas I have seen a huge one at Sta Barbara orchids almost reaching the 25 foot ceiling and I think its more than 30 years old
and I noticed that there is a node cut on the 16th leaf and new stem came from it that continued all the way near the ceiling

[ingse]

I know its not going to die, but it will not grow any more leaves at the top. And it is not likely to flower for many years at least until there is some keikis. There is no sign of any new growth on it now. I grow vandas in hope that i will get them to flower, so it is not fun to have a plant that is just going to take up space without giving me any "rewards"
But, there is nothing serten with regards to orchids.
A guy in Sweden had a Vanda Kapiolea that had a terminal spike and soon after the orchid produced five more spikes further down, so i might be lucky
It was nearly 2 m. long and much older than my vanda, even without flowers it was realy impressiv to see. https://picasaweb.google.com/1056190...72356195033474

[WhiteRabbit]

Gorgeous! Hope you can get some keikis, and more blooms from this!