As Ray noted the plant that spikes from the crown usually is a goner.
Sometimes it will pup from the side, from a leaf axil. Usually , in my
experience, that depends greatly on the health and vitality of the root
system. A vigorous root system and the plant may pup. If its flagging, then
no pup.

K Barrett

"Ben Lurkin" wrote in message
link.net...
I guess I try to put in too much detail; and lose what I am trying to
explain. If I cut off the keiki, the plant will have no apical meristem.



My question concerns the fact that, the main stem extended into a spike on
which formed the keiki formed. Will a new stem come from a leaf axil??
When a century plants blooms it dies because the bloom spike comes from
the
apical meristem. It then lives from new plants forming around the base.



Will a Phal branch at the leaf axils or will cutting off the top kill it??
As of now the keiki is the top center of the plant.

Ben

"K Barrett" wrote in message
news:A61Cb.502152$HS4.3875277@attbi_s01...
In essence you are letting the mother plant die while you are worrying
about
a what to do with a keiki

Ben, cut the damn thing off and toss it out. You already have another
keiki
that you say is doing well.

Repot the mother plant. It won't have *any* chance without action on
your
part.

K Barrett

"Ben Lurkin" wrote in message
ink.net...
I wish to begin by thanking several of you for answering dozens of
questions
someone else asked for me.


I have been keeping orchids for a few years. Whenever I have a
question
I
subscribe to this group and read it for several months learn a great
deal;
get my question answered and get busy forget to read this group.



This time I returned a couple of months ago with several questions and
most
have been answered. But I still have a couple.



I have three cats I purchased at an orchid show in St. Louis a couple
years
ago and a variety of Home Depot plants.



I have several that need repotting; one of them has me puzzled. Last
year
I
bought several orchids at Home Depot between Thanksgiving and
Christmas
at
75% off as they were "through blooming" One of them was a white Phal
with
three spikes that were divided and two of them divided again. There
were
several layers of roots covering the planting mix. I left the spikes
on
the
plant and gave it tender loving care and it soon had 15 blooms on it.
All
the roots above the potting mix died. It continued to bloom until I
went
on
vacation in June. Ten days without water and it was through blooming.



It produced two keikis 14 inches up the spikes. One of which has been
potted and is doing good.



The planting medium is pretty rotten and it is staying wet two long.



Now, here is the problem. The remaining keikie [SP?] is located on an
extension of the main stem. It is 12 inches between the last leaf and
the
keikie It has one leaf 11 inches long and two shorter ones. It has
three
roots 7 to 10 inches long and one shorter one. If the plant is to
survive,
the main stem must branch or put out a side shoot. My experience is
small
but I have never seen a Phal with a forked stem.



Does the mother plant have any chance?



If I remove this keikie how do I deal with it? I certainly do not
want
to
put it in a pot 10 inches deep. Do I break off the roots and pray for
new
ones?? Should I break them off now and let them heal and let it start
new
ones, before I remove it from the mother plant??



Thanks again for help in the past and thank you for any advise you can
give
not.

Ben