Orchid Flower Spike Has Leaves

Keikis first look like miniature leaves that slowly grow into a miniature plant.

Orchid flower spike has leaves. Don t be tempted to clip the flower spike to a bamboo stake too early. I receive many questions from readers about orchids that have leaves and roots growing off of the spike. Don t be tempted to cut it right down to the base. Wait until the flowers have dropped off once your orchid has flowered you will be left with a flower spike from which most of the flowers have dropped.

Your orchid is about to become a new mom. A plantlet called a keiki kay kee the hawaiian word for baby will sometimes grow on a flower spike called an inflorescence. You see with the absence of leaves the plant can not manufacture food thus breaking down the orchids growth cycle. In order to keep blooming over the years monopodial orchids such as phalaenopsis need to put on new leaves each year.

If buying an orchid letting it flower and then throwing it in the trash after the flowers have faded is not your profile read on. Orchid that has finished flowering. Where to cut the orchid flower spike. The production of keikis can also be induced through the use of keiki paste.

The orchid is not dead. This paste consists of concentrated growth hormones and is applied directly to the node. 1 orchid keikis occur naturally when growth hormones accumulate at a node on the flower spike. Growing orchids at home sure is a good way to strengthen your patience muscle.

The next bloom spike on a monopodial orchid comes from the base at the underside of a leaf usually 2 or 3 leaves down from the newest leaf and on the opposite side as the prior bloom spike. If given proper care it will flower again. Initially small it will grow several leaves and then roots at which time it can be removed to propagate a new plant. Take a look at the picture above.

You can see the flower spike on two orchids clipped to the bamboo stakes with plastic orchid clips. If your phalaenopsis orchid starts sprouting leaves instead of a flower at the end of its spike congratulations. But which is a flower spike and which is a root. These are called keikis baby orchids and they can be viable plants on their own once their roots grow long enough.

Once the flowers are spent it is. Wait until the flower spike it at least a few inches long. I just can t throw all that potential in the garbage. Otherwise you may risk snapping the flower spike off.

Orchids work in cycle between growing new leaves and new roots to new blooms. I did that once and i was. Such leafy growths are called keikis the hawaiian word for baby and are actually baby orchids that can be cut from the stalk and planted to create new plants. Since it is phalaenopsis orchids season it s time to see some new flower spikes growing.