Phals are starting to show spike sin my greenhouse, which means they were
initiated about 3 to 4 weeks ago. I have found hundreds of them so far.
(Last year I did not see spikes until Mid October.) I have noticed that 19
out of 20 spike between the 3rd and 5th leaf from the top as the top leaf is
maturing. This is so ubiquitous an occurrence that I think it must be in
their contract. If there is more than one spike, one of them is almost
certainly coming from this location.

Crown spikes are rare but I don't find that they mean certain death. I find
that basal kiekies will develop as often as not. The process of forming a
new crown takes a long time, so be patient if this happens to you.
Certainly a crown spike indicates a Phal with "issues" but what, exactly,
those issues are remains a mystery to me. I suspect there are a number of
unrelated problems with culture and health of the plant that, together or
alone, cause a plant to do this and it is some of these problems that are
really causing the death. But that is just a guess and my observations are
as valid as Ray's in this regard.

Emerging spikes are phototropic. They will grow toward the point of
brightest light. If they appear to be hiding under the leaves and growing
parallel to them it is probably a coincidence, or the brightest light (from
the spike's point of view) is in that direction. If the light is equally
bright from several directions it might cause the spike to grow in what
looks to a contrary direction from the obvious location of the light, but
the tip tissue of the spike is phototropic and it will head toward the
light.

(And just for fun: here is an exception to prove this rule, I have seen
spikes grow in loop-the-loop formations that make me dizzy. And here's
another exception: I have seen newly emerging spikes get impacted on a leaf
and grow all bent and twisted before finally snapping off or getting turned
around and broken free. I have also seen spikes grow up and then down INTO
the bark and then emerge elsewhere to then begin to behave like normal
spikes. It's probably those cosmic chaotic rays that the Aliens in my head
generate.)

Bottom line:
Al :-)

"Ray" wrote in message
...
Yep. In the vast majority of occurrences, if an inflorescence emerges
from the crown of a phal, it will end up dying. On occasion, a basal
growth will form, but that seems rare, in my experience,
--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
.
"Xi Wang" wrote in message
news:5KL6d.142306$%S.8573@pd7tw2no...
Hi,

I don't think there is a rule about where exactly new spikes emerge
from,
except that they generally emerge somewhere under a leaf or next to one.
If
a spike grows out of the center crown, that's bad, but other than that
it's
ok.

Why is it bad if it's a coronal growth? Does it interfere with the
growth of new leaves?

Cheers,
Xi