There MUST be phals growers either local to you or who post here who could
give you more detail. The extremely simplified version is: Phals sometimes
make keikis on their flower stems. This can be encouraged with the proper
application of certain chemicals. A keiki or "stem prop" is genetically
identical to the mother plant, and can therefore carry any applicable
awards. Although mericlones are also supposed to be genetically identical,
the cloning process still entails some small risk of mutation. So stem
props are more reliably identical. For that reason, and also because the
volume which can be produced by stem propagation is _far_ more limited [a
handful compared to thousands], stem props are usually a lot more expensive
than clones.

Formulations of the chemicals used are available in small quantities for the
hobbyist under the brand names Keiki-Grow and Keiki-Root, and possibly
others.

Hope this helps,
--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids
http://www.jborchids.com

"mmccaws2" wrote in message
oups.com...
I saw a note on one site that a phalenopsis was 'stem propagated'.
I'm not familiar with that type of propagation. I was wondering if
anyone in the northwest gives workshops on it or even does it.

Thanks
Mike