Are they babies?
I've only ever had a few phals, but I've never seen growth like this. Are these babies growing on my spikes? Or just normal growth?
2ft to light, direct
4” pot with drainage
Last watered 1 week ago
1
@Nocturnal666 Hi Lindsey, a “baby” orchid is called a keiki and it can occur on your orchid. It’s important to distinguish a flower spike from a Kelsi. Hopefully the information and links below help to answer your question, all the best 😀👍
The main difference between an orchid keiki and a flower spike is that a keiki will eventually produce its own leaves and roots, while a flower spike will not:
Keiki
A keiki is a baby orchid that grows on a parent plant. The word "keiki" is Hawaiian for "baby". Keikis are genetically identical to their mother plant and will produce flowers that look similar. They often appear on the flower stem or pseudobulb of an orchid. Keikis are more common on some varieties of orchids, such as Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, and Epidendrum.
Flower spike
A flower spike is a pointy growth on an orchid that can be greener in color and less glossy than roots. Flower spikes usually grow upwards and are often produced in the fall, winter, or early spring.
You can tell the difference between a keiki and a flower spike by looking at how the roots and leaves develop:
Keiki: After a few months, a keiki will begin to produce its own leaves and roots, not from the mother plant.
Flower spike: A flower spike will not produce its own leaves and roots.
You can remove a keiki from the orchid once it has several small leaves and roots that are two to three inches long. If you remove it too early, it might not be strong enough to survive the transplant.
https://youtu.be/auK6OsFSNuk?si=C7zVhj1FVfgzRiQN
https://youtu.be/P0nS1wVF-H8?si=Yqe6TdnJ7gNQ3jAP
The main difference between an orchid keiki and a flower spike is that a keiki will eventually produce its own leaves and roots, while a flower spike will not:
Keiki
A keiki is a baby orchid that grows on a parent plant. The word "keiki" is Hawaiian for "baby". Keikis are genetically identical to their mother plant and will produce flowers that look similar. They often appear on the flower stem or pseudobulb of an orchid. Keikis are more common on some varieties of orchids, such as Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, and Epidendrum.
Flower spike
A flower spike is a pointy growth on an orchid that can be greener in color and less glossy than roots. Flower spikes usually grow upwards and are often produced in the fall, winter, or early spring.
You can tell the difference between a keiki and a flower spike by looking at how the roots and leaves develop:
Keiki: After a few months, a keiki will begin to produce its own leaves and roots, not from the mother plant.
Flower spike: A flower spike will not produce its own leaves and roots.
You can remove a keiki from the orchid once it has several small leaves and roots that are two to three inches long. If you remove it too early, it might not be strong enough to survive the transplant.
https://youtu.be/auK6OsFSNuk?si=C7zVhj1FVfgzRiQN
https://youtu.be/P0nS1wVF-H8?si=Yqe6TdnJ7gNQ3jAP
