What are keikis? Is there a picture somewhere of them?

Shell
(still in the learning stages)


"tbell" wrote in message
...
Thanks very much. I appreciated your earlier essay on culture, and
this
advice will help me deal with more specific and immediate questions.
I will repot after flowering, because the plant will certainly need
more
room. How big do they get?
Is there a reason to remove the keikis other than for propagation?
Tom
Walnut Creek, CA, USA
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From: (WNeptune)
Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.orchids
Date: 22 Nov 2003 23:33:11 GMT
Subject: D. kingianum

Subject: D. kingianum
From: tbell
Date: Sat, Nov 22, 2003 5:28 PM
Message-id:

OK, just to fill the vacuum, here's a new one: My D. kingianum is
crammed very tightly in a 1 gal plastic pot, where it's been in a bark
mix
for about 18 months. The majority of the new growth consists of very
vigorous keikis, many with the buds of further growth on them.
Questions: 1) Should the plant be re-potted into a larger pot? 2) Is the
new growth from the keikis likely to bloom, or should I remove some or
all
of them?

Tom
Walnut Creek, CA, USA
(To reply by e-mail, remove APPENDIX)


No need to repot until after flowering.
No need to remove keikis until after flowering, and leaving them on will
increase the number of flowers.
The buds on the keikis are most likely flower buds, as new growth
usually does
not start until after flowering.
After flowering remove all keikis, and pot up the plant and do not
disturb the
roots any more than necessary-assuming the plant is now filling the pot
and
will need room for new growth.

Wilford Neptune