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Phaelinopsis oddity.
bigolob
Posts: 127
We have a large collection of Phaelinopsis (Moth Orchids) in our conservatory (minimum 65 degrees winter). One of the plants has produced an odd growth which I have found out is called a KEIKI. What appears to be a normal flowering stem has grown leaves not flowers but after 3 months has produced a flower stem above the leaves!
I am told that I should wait for 2 further leaves to grow with normal roots from the bottom of the growth, cut the whole Keili off and plant it in a small pot in Orchid compost to create a new `free` plant. Has anyone come across this? Apparently if the growth is not removed, the mother plant, a beautiful white with pink slipper will not flower. Its name is Zuma Camreal.
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Hello bigolob - can you put a picture up here on the forum as mine maybe trying to do the same thing (just started) so I'm interested to see if it is the same. Thanks.
I've got one that has done that, I was also wondering if I should cut it off and pot it up. It's had the top growth for at least 3 years. Is this what you mean, bigolob?
It looks horribly overgrown Landgirl and I can only suggest that you cut the stem below the roots at the top of the growth and allow those leaves in the pot to grow into the normal Orchid plant again. However, I can see the possibility of my plant looking like yours if I left it too long before cutting it off.
Pot up the growth you remove with the roots inside the pot and hope it grows the new plant I was told about.
Forester 2, how do you take a photo to display on the Forum? I would be happy to do so but it may be a problem at the moment as some idiot with an apparent `sense of humour` has scrambled my computer!!
What sort of computer are you posting from? I take photos and download into iPhoto,on a Mac or MacBook ,sort into flagged and pick from those.
I've found that as soon as the keiki/baby orchid has produced its own flower bud it is old enough to be potted up on its own. They don't seem to do very well if potted up before this. The bud normally drops off but give it a good feed and it will start to grow well.
Be sure to feed the mother plant regularly afterwards and it should flow again within a few months.
Thank you Sarah, I will try this when the first bud appears on the Keili - the shoot coming from the upper leaves is about 4 inches long at present.
Thank you all of you, I will keep you posted on how it develops and what happens after I separate the Keiki.