Why won't the 2nd branch form on my phal?
 

HI,

I have a phalaenopsis orchid that I bought at the supermarket (I believe a doritaenopsis hybrid or something like that). It has one spike with one branch (all the flowers are opened), and from one of the nodes below the last branch, I see the tip of what looks like another branch that wants to come out.

However, it has been like this for a month now. The other branch is just peeking out from the node and is afraid to come out.

Is there something I am doing wrong? How can I make the branch grow? When I acquired the plant, I was only watering it, not feeding it. I just started feeding last week.

Any tips?

well it may not be a spike of flowers. it may be that the place where you bought it (the supermarket) may have not taken care of it well and it is starting to form a keiki. or its just a sleeping node waiting for the right time to make a new plant. try checking the roots for significant signs of rot

when orchids are about to die due to rot or other deadly causes the nodes on the flower spike begin to grow forming a small orchid plant. this is the way they reproduce if the mother plant dies. many people propagate orchids from those "sleeping" nodes

Hey, whats the difference between a sleeping node and a keiki?

Hey one of mine is doing the same thing...there hasn't been a change to that peeping node since I got it like over 3 mo. ago. But I just figured it was being ornery...as it IS the ornery one..lol. Anyways, the blooms are almost spent, so will this sleeping node, as you call it ever develop? Or is it just going to look at me teasingly. :biggrin:

This is also the plant that won't let go of old dead blooms... I have to cut them off...I left one finished bloom to see what it would do( it's been on there 7 weeks now...) So, like I said, the plant is ornery. lol.
Which is why it's good to have more than one. :biggrin:

Other than not feeding the plant, you may not be doing anything wrong. I bought 5 different Phals a couple years ago. They all had the same light, same watering, feeding, etc. One formed a keiki, then more flowers. One went crazy with aerial roots, one has lush foliage but no signs of flowers. So much depends on the heritage of the hybrid. You can always try to increase the light slightly, but if the plant is healthy, wait to see what the feeding will do for it.

Mine also had some nodes that started to grow then stop. They started growing again after it warmed up.

Paitence grasshopper and food they need fed regular while in spke and after ...at least my opinion is feed .I feed mine year round .Just do not get fertilizer on the buds

sleeping nodes only begin to grow when the plant is in danger of dying. they only sometimes just grow. having that branch there is a good thing as if you orchid begins to fall downhill it will reproduce by those nodes.
Melody, unless its going to die anytime soon its looking at you teasingly :O

I dont think I quite agree on that on ...I get basal keikis a lot on one plant and it is in no way close to dying and It looks like I have a couple others that may be producing a basal keki this year too and they also are not in danger of dying .....

I think they also kick in if it is doing very, very well