Onc. Aka baby 'Raspberry Chocolate' is it a spike?
 

I bought this Aka Baby 'Raspberry Chocolate' in July this year. Advertised as near flowering size I was happily surprised with a massive plant on arrival, placed on the floor it was hip height on me. Im 5ft 3
There are two mature bulbs on the plant increasing in size as the plant has matured. It has three maturing growths.

I noticed a split in the leaves at the base of one growth and saw something growing. On further inspection this growing point had split through two outside leaves.
Watching this new growth I can now see the beginning of the new bulb sitting behind it.
I was told flower spikes would initiate from the bulbs, but I wasnt expecting this splitting of the outside leaves.

Is this a flower spike?

This splitting of leaves is happening on one of the other growths too. On the third growth the leaves are split but I can't see any new growing point yet.

As I checked it today one of our jumping spiders scared the living daylights out of me! Harmless but fast spiders. With checking more carefully I also found a tiny slug...urghh. Hiding right down where the leaf joined the bulb. Guess his dinner of new growing points won't be happening.
Despatched!

Red Fox Orchids ?

Looks like a spike, and it’s arising from the right location, and maturity of the pseudobulb looks right.

Hi Diane,
Oncidiums do tend to split their leaves like this as the pseudobulbs grow. It's the swelling of the bulbs that makes the leaves split as the bulbs can get very fat.

I don't know your hybrid but it sounds like an even bigger plant than a sharry baby.

The point that growth is coming from is theoretically where a new spike could emerge from (next to a bulb) but it does not look like a spike to me. They always grow upright and are thinner but saying that I'm not entirely sure what that new growth is. It doesn't look like a new pseudobulb forming or a flower spike so not entirely sure what it is and could still turn out to be either one.

Edit: Another possibility is that it isn't an oncidium but a cambria of some sort. Then it would look like a flower spike.
x Cambria - Wikipedia

Yes it was from Red Fox. I had been talking to the wholesaler about fertilizers and he mentioned one of these, the ferts and the plant were at the same nursery so I thought why not.

---------- Post added at 09:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:36 AM ----------

Thanks Orchidtinkerer, the mature bulbs are enormous. Pictures Ive seen of the plant in bloom do make it seem big with spikes reaching well above the leaves.
Looking at how this spike is bending I might have to start guiding it upright. Pictures Ive seen show very upright spikes. Should be able to look the flowers in the eye given how tall it was when I got it. 😁
I was just a bit surprised because other Oncids Ive seen with old cut spikes have the flower spike coming up inbetween the leaves not splitting the leaves. Maybe the Oncids Ive seen were ones where the bulb had already formed so there wasnt the pressure of the expanding bulb and the spike against the leaves.
Whatever this is its pretty powerful!

Aka Baby is a cross between Onc. Jimbo x Onc. Sharry Baby according to my research.

I grow a lot of Oncidium hybrids and I have a few that habitually split the bracts as the pseudobulbs mature.

I call them bracts which I think is the right term because they are modified leaves with a protective function.

Thinking about it, if the bracts split early then it would allow the spike to begin its growth horizontally, but I think the spike will grow towards clear space (and maximum chance of attracting pollinators) just like any other. I wouldn’t be trying to influence it, they are very fragile when young and I’ve broken many.

Thanks Arron.

I definitely won't try and 'help' the spike straighten up after reading your comments.

I was thinking about the plant last night and had decided as it was the first time blooming for me I should let it do its thing and see what happens naturally.
Changes, if required, could be made before next years blooming.

Reading your comments this morning confirmed I made the right decision.

Really looking forward to seeing these bloom, I hope the spikes aren't like Twinkle spikes...3 inches long seemingly overnight then months before seeing any blooms.
But if the photos Ive seen of Aka Baby blooming plants are anything to go by these spikes have some serious growing to do!

hahahaha! Nice one Diane! Definitely ------ the long development time of the buds for Twinkle has been noticed hehe. They take ages.

Looking forward to seeing flowers from this oncidium here!

RedFox is good.

The Sharry Babys I've had grow spikes fairly quickly and bloom soon after. Won't tease you like Twinkles and sphacelatum!

Excellent.
Cant say Ive seen much growth on them yet....maybe I shouldn't check so often :scratchhead:

Just an update....
My Aka Baby Raspberry Chocolate now has 5 spikes.