Don't feel bad, Shell. We're all still in the learning stages, and I'm
just a rung or two above you on a very tall ladder. "Keiki" is the Hawaiian
word for baby, and a keiki is an outgrowth from a main growth on an orchid
plant, with at least a few obvious roots at the base of the outgrowth.
Depending on who you read, they can be snapped off the main growth when they
have a certain number or length of roots, and planted just like a seedling.
I don't have a photo of one at the moment, but I have planted one from a
Dendrobium and had it grow to maturity and flower within a year.
My main concern about mine is that there are so many keikis. Sometimes
when a plant flowers profusely or grows a lot of keikis, it is telling you
that it's not healthy.
I'd welcome any additions or corrections from someone more
knowledgeable.
Tom
Walnut Creek, CA, USA
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From: "Shell91"
Organization: SBC http://yahoo.sbc.com
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.orchids
Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2003 00:13:27 GMT
Subject: D. kingianum

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