Terminal spike HELP me, please!

[Leobaby]

A few weeks ago I found a mini Phal that was red! I've never seen a reddish purple Phal before, and I was so enchanted by it, I purchased it on the spot. I transplanted it immediately because it was planted in moss and in my experience every phat that I got and left in moss died, and it got root rot. So I transplanted it in bark chips. The roots were poor looking. The flowers and buds started wilting right away. Which I kind of expected, no biggie. The big problem is that one of its spikes, full of flowers, is a terminal spike. On that spike, there is a leaf. Out of the leaf, there is another flower spike with flowers. So, I don't think that leaf is a keiki, but I hope so.
How do I save her? Everyone complimented her, she is so beautiful, and to know that now it's dying, it is simply a heartbreak.
Please help.
PS. I bought, from amazon, some "cloning" cream. But I tried it before, on other phals, and it did nothing. Should I attempt using it again, or will that just add extra stress to this poor thing?

[Roberta]

"Terminal" in this case does NOT mean fatal! So relax. A spike that comes from the crown indicates that there won't be further growth from that point. So the plant is working on other options. One is to produce basal growths (not keikis, they aren't independent growths, they share the root system with the main plant so don't try to separate them or you likely will kill both). The other is to produce true keikis such as what you're seeing. It may eventually produce roots and be able to live as an independent plant but don't even think about separating it until there are good roots from it. But it can sit there with a leaf or two or more, produce a spike, and no roots, even for several years.

Phals do reach a point where they stop growing vertically (and produce "terminal spike" - spike at a terminus, not a fatal one). So to look for these other "strategies" ... you have never seen a 2-meter (6 foot) Phal, after all... clearly they have other ways to propagate.

Take a look at this plant of mine, Phalaenopsis schilleriana prodigy

The leaves up the spike did eventually produce a couple of small roots, but I left it in place and it is producing a spike yet again (along with spikes from the main plant), will be in bloom in a couple of weeks. But that keiki on the stem is now in year 3.

For your plant, just sit back and see what it does, give it the usual regular care.

[Leobaby]

Hi Roberta,
Your schileriana is so beautiful. I wish I could find one here.
Thank you for taking the time to reply. I was really in panic mode. I don't know how I didn't notice that when I bought it. I really hope she makes it. You see, in the pictures it looks purple, because of my growth light which is pink, but in reality it really is red. And I've never seen a red phal before. Yes, I am a beginner, but still, I have about 10 plants and none of this colour. So I really want her to live and bloom.
Thank you, I feel a little less sad, I am glad there is some hope.

[estación seca]

Think of "terminal" like a train terminal, meaning no more than the end of going in that direction.

The best way to keep Phals. happy is to keep them as warm as you can.