Alien Phalaenopsis found growing in Maine

[gmdiaz]

I am so laughing. . .And I really thought that I was getting the hang of all this orchid business! And now I have to worry about foliacious bracts! So much for roots or nubbins? So much for having a clue what's going on.

Standing by to listen and learn.



I love you guys!

[Bird Song Farm]

Originally Posted by gmdiaz

I am so laughing. . .And I really thought that I was getting the hang of all this orchid business! And now I have to worry about foliacious bracts! So much for roots or nubbins? So much for having a clue what's going on.

Standing by to listen and learn.



I love you guys!

Gwen, I'll get you a keiki out of this if I have to come up 'side this plants head with a trowel!
AL

[trinimom]

So after your phal blooms you should cut the spike? I have ever cut my spikes in one of my phals and this one has two and they just continue blooming; as the spikes grow longer they bloom at the end of it . So fewer blooms....
Thanks
Orchid 31: yellow Phalanopsis on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[Bird Song Farm]

Originally Posted by Trinimom

So after your phal blooms you should cut the spike? I have ever cut my spikes in one of my phals and this one has two and they just continue blooming; as the spikes grow longer they bloom at the end of it . So fewer blooms....
Thanks
Orchid 31: yellow Phalanopsis on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Trinimom, I'm so glad to see you here!
Probably because of your location your yellow phal is growing as it would in nature. There is no one in nature to come along and cut the spike unless it gets broken off in a storm or some animal decides to chew it off.
When a phal. is finished blooming we usually do one of two things:
1. Cut the spike off at the base. This gives the plant a chance to rest and gather energy to throw a new spike or two. These will have more blossoms than just the 3 or so you have now.

2. Cut the spike back just above the second node to encourage a branch from the top most node (#2). This branch will have flowers but not as large or as many as the original spike. OR the second node up that you left might grow a keiki, which in time will grow roots and you can take it off the original spike and start a new plant.

These foliacious bracts that my spike has developed seems to be something many of us haven't heard of. So I will let them be and see what happens. This plant is strong and healthy so it will interesting to see what it does with these bract things.

I hope this has helped some. If you have more questions don't hesitate to jump in and ask. We are all here to learn and and have fun doing it.

Sincerely,
Al

P.S.
Folks, if I have given Trinimom some bad advice, jump in and clarify it for her and me! Since her plant is still producing flowers (probably her location), would she still cut the spike back or off?

[Lene Th.]

Does your spike have leafs on? Is this what the bracts are? If so, i may have the same on a phal im trying to save...?



Ive been told theese are keikis, but as i havent got any before, i really dont know... And it doesnt seem like the ones ive seen on other pics... It simply looks like leafs on the spike. It had one wiltered flower on the same spike, but i cut it of.
This plant did also have a spike with flowers on, but i cut that one entirely of to help the plant keep its energy.
It also have a basal keiki with trhee big leafs, the pis is showing the mother-plants two leafs and the rest is the basal-keiki. Its not that easy to figure out that its really two plants due to the pic.

[Bird Song Farm]

Yes, Leni, they look exactly the same!!!!
Looks like you might have foliacious bracts too!

Na, Na, Na Dorothy. We have bracts!

Al

[Lene Th.]

It might not be easy to see, but on the top bract, theres now two wiltered, yellowing spike-ends.
Sice ive just got this one, i donno if there was originally two sets of spikes emerging from the one, but it does look like the smallest yellow spike emerged from the bract, and the other one is the original spike.
The wiltered flower that i cut of was on the spike emerging from the bract. But i didnt seem like an ordinary floower, it seemed smaller and kind of unusual shape. But i have only seen the wiltered flower.



And the mother-plant does also have a weird krown, therefor i dont know if she will be able to grow any more leafs... The one to the right is the mother-crown, the one to the left is the keiki-krown. The dark color in the mother-crown is only shadow. The spike with the bracts on, emerges from the mother-plant. The keiki had also a spike, this one was normal, without leafs on. And i cut it of.
Guess time will tell!

[trinimom]

Thanks so much for the suggestions and I would try after it is finished blooming as it has about 6 buds or so... would take another pic soon and post...
My second phal the purple seems tobe struggling.. I cut the spike but did not know and cut from the bottom so no chance of any new spikes or keiki there ... we live and learn...
Thanks again