Mike,

Phals are not like some other types of orchids in this respect, unlike Paphs
or I think Cattleyas and Dendrobiums, but I am not sure about the Cattleyas
and Dends since I don't know them that well.

For Paphs (or at least most Paphs?), once a growth of leaves has had a
spike, that's it for that growth, and you need a new growth for a new spike.
New spikes in Paphs form from the center of the crown of the top leaf.

Phals are monopodial, so they just continue to grow new leaves from the same
base/crown/stem. And there is no such concept of "this leaf has been used
for a previous blooming, so it's all used up." No, they can have a new spike
that's adjacent to an old spike, under same leaf. Or it could be under a
different leaf. Old leaves do die off with time, but sometimes it takes a
long time, and while the leaf is viable, I always check around it and around
all of the leaves for spikes.

I had one Phal that spiked right under the topmost new leaf, so that's
possible to.

The one place where one would not be happy to see a spike is in the crown
itself (in the center, above the newest leaf). While it happens occasionally
that a Phal will spike from the crown, that will generally prevent it from
having new leaves, and this plant would probably eventually die. The way for
the plant to survive would be to form a basal keiki, but from what I heard
it's less likely to do that than just die.

My Question: I have never seen a new spike forming under an old Phal leaf
that has turned yellow. Is that possible? Has anyone seen that happen? Or is
that pretty much a limit as to where spikes may form?

That's all I know on the topic of new spike location in Phals. Anyone out
here have anything to add or subtract from this?

Joanna


"Mike" wrote in message
...
I didn't mean a spike regrowing from where it was cut off. I meant,
can a new spike grow next to where another spike was cut off? Or, do
you only get one spike per location (base of a leaf)?

On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 14:25:26 -0500, "Ray"
wrote:

IMO, "multiple spikes" applies whether all new, all regrowth of old, or a
mix.

I have never heard of a spike regrowing after it was completely cut off.