Susan Erickson wrote:
On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 06:01:55 GMT, J X M
wrote:


= If you have seen growth in the center leaf area (crown) and are
= sure the plant is doing well. Then just cut off the dry portion
= as it dies back, how ever far it dies back.

If I may add my question to this thread, I've cut my Phal's spike somewhere in the middle,
and there are two tiny leaves growing there. Now, is that a freak occurance or do these
plants somehow reproduce in this manner? I am guessing sometime in the future, roots will
perhaps show up... I was expecting another spike with buds somewhere along the way, but
this is just as fascinating.

So Mom Phal is producing a baby. The baby
will be identical to Mom and should be potted on its own when the
roots and leaves have developed. You want about 2-3" of root if
you get many roots, make that sum total, if not then linear. The
Keiki should bear the same name and awards as the Mom. They are
essentially the same plant.

Have fun with your growing pair. Oh, Keiki is pronounced as
KEY-key.

Thanks for that info! I actually just subscribed to this group to find
out what to do about a phal producing a baby like that - the original
plant had two flowering spikes; once the flowers dropped we did nothing
with either of them. One produced a secondary flush of small flowers,
and the other one produced the keiki. I was amazed, and now it's
growing like crazy - the root shoots are about 10 - 12" long and the
leaves are about 3". And it's still firmly attached to the spike, about
12" in the air. I'd never seen anything like it before. I guess I'll
have to figure out how to repot next (this is our only orchid, and it
was just an impulse "grocery store flower" purchase. I'm glad it's
survived.

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