Weird growth on Phal - Orchid Board

violetta · #1 11-06-2008, 09:46 AM

Hello everyone, I´m glad I found this site

I got this Phal hybrid a few months ago. I cut the spikes when it finished blooming, I repotted in fresh bark, it grew new roots and one new leaf. Then it seemed like it was growing a terminal spike, but there are leaves instead of a spike. I have never seen anything like this before

Does anybody know what this is?

Sandy4453 · #2 11-06-2008, 10:09 AM

violetta, welcome aboard!

This is so curious, I've never, ever seen this before, this is a first for me. This growth is coming out of the crown's center, right? Haven't a clue what this means but I'm sure somebody here does...I think

This one has me totally stumped. I'll be checking back here to see what others say.

camille1585 · #3 11-06-2008, 10:29 AM

I've never seen anything like it either! I know about terminal spikes, but nothing about growths like these.

But seeing as there is leaf growth out of it, I don't think it would have the same 'terminal' effect as the terminal spikes do. That would be good news. Me too, I hope someone has an explantion for this, it sure is strange looking.

mayres · #4 11-06-2008, 10:53 AM

I'm hardly the expert, but I have had several terminal spikes and many of us have had flower spike keikis too - looks to me like a situation where a plant started out thinking it was going to make a terminal spike and then decided to keiki/grow leaves instead. My guess is that this plant will continue to grow in its odd (some would say "deformed") configuration - I'm guessing that this growth is going to continue to grow and the bottom part will slowly over the next couple years die off, and eventually the new growth will become THE plant - flowers and all..........interesting indeed. Thanks for sharing.

jkofferdahl · #5 11-06-2008, 11:29 AM

Like others, I'm not sure why this growth happened. I'd say that it started as a terminal spike which then decided to become a keiki. The keiki will grow, develop a root system, and become it's own plant. The parent plant isn't going to grow any new leaves, but I'd keep it alive so that it has a possible chance of growing another keiki.

BikerDoc5968 · #6 11-06-2008, 02:35 PM

It almost looks like a keiki and rather than growing out from the side of the stem, it has come from the crown...only time will tell....hope to see more pics as it developes.

This is my plant that has grown a keiki from the stem rather than at the base of the plant or from a flower spike

Ross · #7 11-06-2008, 02:59 PM

I've had Phals, in the past, grow new shoots from the base, but it usually is because something happened to the terminal growth point. I, also, am curious as to what's happening here.

BikerDoc5968 · #8 11-06-2008, 03:05 PM

I have also had phals that appear to be in perfect health, grow basil keiki and never grow anymore from the parent plant.....

magicatt · #9 11-06-2008, 03:51 PM

New to me too. Looks like your phal is nuerotic and needs therapy to make up its mind, spike or kekei spike or kekei. Keep us posted on what happens.

greenbean · #10 11-06-2008, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by magicatt

New to me too. Looks like your phal is nuerotic and needs therapy to make up its mind, spike or kekei spike or kekei. Keep us posted on what happens.

Hahaha, a neurotic phal! Love it. Is that what horticultural therapy is for? And here I thought it was to help sick people. Silly me!

Hope to see some pics as it develops.