I know that with a Phrag a new spike looks sort of like a double-leaf. Does
the same apply to dendrobiums (phal type ones)? How can one tell that a
dendrobium is beginning to spike?

I know I am an impatient person -- I could just wait and see whether that is
a spike, but I want to know as early as possible.

Thanks,
Joanna

Joanna, by "phal type" do you mean phalaenanthe? ie D. bigibbum etc? If so,
their inflorescences are usually apical or near-apical. You get a little
protrusion begin to develop from one of the nodes near the top pf the plant.
Then, unless it develops into a keiki, the spike progressively develops. With
the phalaenanthes, the spike is typically about 1 mm in diameter. The
spatulatas (antelopes) often have spikes to around 3 mm dia. If it's a hybrid
between these two sections, still apical, but size indeterminate. If I
misunderstood phal type, sorry for wasting your time.

On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 02:15:48 GMT, "J Fortuna"
wrote:

I know that with a Phrag a new spike looks sort of like a double-leaf. Does
the same apply to dendrobiums (phal type ones)? How can one tell that a
dendrobium is beginning to spike?

I know I am an impatient person -- I could just wait and see whether that is
a spike, but I want to know as early as possible.

Thanks,
Joanna

Dave Gillingham
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J Fortuna wrote:
I

I know I am an impatient person.....


Impatient orchid grower? There's an oxymoron for you.

On most of the dendrobs I have, the blooms emerge from the leaf axils
and devleop rather quickly into unmistakable floral spikes.

J. Del Col ( whose --Vanda cristata-- opened up today. I also noticed
two new pseudobulbs emerging on --Eulophia petersii--)