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Help! Leaf growing off spike

11 years ago

First of all, sorry if this is a duplicate post from me. I was not able to find my old post.

I recently cut the spikes on my phal to try to get it to re-bloom. Instead of growing buds, one of the spikes decided to grow a leaf. I'm not sure what I should do. I really don't want it to use its energy to grow this "useless" leaf and would rather have more flowers. Should I just cut the spike at the base, pinch off the leaf, or do something else? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments (7)

arthurm
11 years ago
You have a keiki (a baby plant) given time it will grow larger and grow roots.
You can either wait till the plant gets larger and has established roots and then separate it from the mother plant or cut the spike off at the base now.
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User
11 years ago
arthurm Sydney, NSW AUST,
Why do you cut the spike off the base? Does this improve the survival of the keiki? I had keiki's before and I cut them right off as small plants. Most did not survive after I cut them off. They turn yellow, possibly due to too much light or water.
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Phal spikes typically grow in between the layers of the bottom half of the leaves. It is also the same area where new roots grow so it is hard to distinguish between roots and spike when they are very young. The picture below shows a root and a spike growing from the same segment. Here is a link that might be useful:
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I have two 18W (cool and warm) and on the side two 15W (cool and warm). I know it is not much of the light probably, but commercial lights will be too heavy for this stand. I am not sure about my zone...I live in Montreal, Canada. During a day for a few hours the plant is under the full sun ( when we have sun). It is very warm in my house, the highest temperature could be 32 C. I use humidifier at all times, and during a night I put a plastic cover over the stand with plants as it helps to creat humidity up to 100% (according to the humidity tester). http://i038.radikal.ru/0712/fb/c1b8ad6a8e5a.jpg [IMG]http://i037.radikal.ru/0712/6d/6a212c7813be.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i026.radikal.ru/0712/ff/26a3524aec2b.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i010.radikal.ru/0712/9c/3ca940037947.jpg[/IMG]
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Jane if you read the first post you would see where the pseudobulb produced two separate flower spikes this season, around February. This was the first time this plant was mature enough to do so. One of the spikes, growing out of one side of the bulb, grew well and is in flower now, even having two side branches. The other spike on the opposite side of the bulb, was starting out bent over in February, looking like a loop instead of a straight up spike. The growing tip appeared to be caught down back into the leaf joint to the bulb. I thought I might be able to straighten it, but in the process, I snapped it off, down to maybe one inch. That stub turned brown and hard as far as I could see. But now it has sent up a new growth which is currently about eight or ten inches high. I can't tell if it is a whole new spike, or if it grew from the lower part of the broken spike because that part is down between the leaf and the bulb, and just not visible. Either way, I am enjoying the best ever flowering from this particular plant.
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arthurm
11 years ago
Sorry, my post wasn't clear. I should have added "and put the cut off spike in the bin".
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User
11 years ago
arthurm Sydney, NSW AUST,
So, you suggest a Phal-abortion? Can you supply your reasons?
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arthurm
11 years ago
My apologies, my answer was framed for the original poster. Not for a wider audience.
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Kalia829
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you Arthurm! I tried to do an internet search but I guess I was putting in the wrong information to search for. Now that I know what is going on, I will definitely keep the spike and replant once it has matured.
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arthurm
11 years ago
Here is an FAQ in the link that will give you an idea on how to proceed

Here is a link that might be useful: Repotting keiki
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