Baroness, if there are some nodes on the stalk with the broken end you might get a side branch to spike, otherwise it probably will do nothing. "in situ, who cuts the spikes off of the phals?" That statement applies to any aspect of any branch of horticulture. I could stop all work on my messy garden (casual cottage) and what would be the result? I'll be a an orchid show in a few weeks time and if the customer is just buying a Phal. as a cheap bunch of flowers, i'll tell them the cut down to the node stuff, but, i like to think that people asking questions here are interested in growing better flowers. Here is the story of Betty (again). Betty was a great orchid grower. she had a collection of thousands of orchids and won the annual championship at several orchid societies many times. Now those Championships are won by people who have big collections across many Genera and you get points for just benching a plant. She had this species Phal. that bloomed for years and years. It had a long, long spike with hundreds of flower scars and a few sad dispirited flowers at the end. It was benched in the species other section year after year just to gain that one precious point. Brooke, not sure of the latest name for Phal. decumbens. It seems to have had many names over the years. The plant pictured in an above post is a mini 3 inches high with 3 inch leaves, just the ticket for the narrow windowsill in the kitchen. The flower spike is not very long, but is a sequential bloomer, so i go SNIP at the base after enjoying the display for three months or so. Blooms like clockwork, every summer.

As I said above you probably will have to add shading for the hotter months, but it is a matter of trial and error and experience to get the conditions inside right for what ever you want to grow. Phalaenopsis gigantea is a tropical lowland orchid from Bornea. It grows in the understory so it it is getting shelter from the hot sun. The gigantea bit refers to the size of the leaves. Probably needs a daily temperature range of something like min 20C Max 30C with air movement and high humidity. Seeing you are just starting why compound your problems by repotting/demounting orchids. Sit back and observe, do some research and buy a gadget to measure the temperature and humidity in your glass-house. Which is where in the USA?

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:

At least it's not in the "god" category and "other" instead :D You made my afternoon. I just had to pick up the orchid that would be a challenge :) and agree, there probably isn't much right or appropriate for its culture here. The "general info" I've been able to get about it so far is it needs a bit of water and a high level of filtered sunlight during active growth - well, it's had a lot of rain (to the point I was bringing it in to dry often) but the sun wasn't very cooperative this year. Give it a 30 degree temp swing, down to 40 in fall. No water from mid october until spring growth? All year it needs warm days, cool nights. House in the winter is generally around 70 day/night. It does get quite cold here for several months so in a window would be the only temp difference I could give it. Does any of this sound right or possibly hopeful? I should hopefully be able to eventually make the other orchids happy and bloom but the Cymbidium and the Encyclia will probably be given away free next spring (hopefully they live) to someone who would be better able to grow them. I would like to give them a shot this winter, hopefully they will make it. If not, I'll know what not to buy in the future. Thanks!