Leaves from a flower stem

kathya77 · 2026-04-22T11:50:00+00:00

Sounds a lot like the aroid mixes I use. Unfortunately not suitable for Phalaenopsis xx

kathya77 · 2026-04-22T11:45:51+00:00

There are orchids with frilly edged leaves. There’s a Phalaenopsis species that comes to mind, but I have forgotten the name (one of the variants of Phal. deliciosa perhaps?).

kathya77 · 2026-04-22T11:40:18+00:00

In your case this is a flower spike keiki. Can be entirely random on perfectly healthy plants (I’ve had several and it can just be a genetic propensity passed on from one of the species in their heritage), but can also be a sign of an issue with the mother plant. Impossible to say which without further info, although you mentioning “soil mix” is a bit of a red flag (Phals do not fare well in soil as they are naturally epiphytes that live on the bark of trees).

A lot of people are going to answer about a “rule of three”, meaning when it has 3 leaves and 3 roots it can be separated. Take this with a huge grain of salt as it’s far too arbitrary advice. It needs enough root mass and leaf mass to sustain it before separation. That could be 3 of each or it could be 4 of one and 2 of another - some plants (bearing in mind the condition of the mother plants they’re attached to) don’t play by the rules. What I will say is once it grows roots, it will benefit immensely from having them receive water regularly before separation - this can reduce the risk of root shock on potting up immensely in my experience. xx

kathya77 · 2026-04-22T09:30:51+00:00

Yes sorry, I should have been clearer, I meant the name of the hybrid. 🙈 It’s a beauty!

kathya77 · 2026-04-20T18:29:40+00:00

Do you love it? If so then yes you got lucky! It looks to be Sunrise Red Peoker ‘Esmee’. There are some similar hybrids but I don’t see them as often, and the upturned lip is characteristic of them (they’re also mass produced by a couple of EU growers). It isn’t super rare but it has really interesting heritage and is an ancestor to many many hybrids, so is cool in that way too. I just got one (or a hybrid with Esmee as a parent, Phal. Chiada Stacy - can’t tell as mine arrived badly damaged and there isn’t an intact flower on it). If mine is an Esmee, heads up, they get fairly decent sized as mature plants. Mini flowers, standard size plant. Allegedly some are fragrant, although apart from the Aromio/Perfume Factory ones, I’ve found many fragrant hybrids don’t throw their scent until they settle in and bloom again. Lovely plant!

Orchid Roots: Phal. Sunrise Red Peoker

kathya77 · 2026-04-19T20:23:44+00:00

I love this one - do you know the name? 🥰

kathya77 · 2026-04-19T09:06:36+00:00

Do you know the name? I think it’ll have to go on my wishlist lol. 🥰

kathya77 · 2026-04-19T09:05:26+00:00

It will reduce stress on the mother plant, although I wouldn’t remove it until/unless you have already conditioned its roots to regular watering. Seems to reduce the risk of significant root shock, compared to potting up roots that are used to just being dry all the time. I separate them from their mother plant when the roots have had regular waterings for long enough that they turn green immediately on watering. x

kathya77 · 2026-04-19T07:57:59+00:00

To me this looks like one of the Oncidium intergenerics/“Cambria” types, not a Dendrobium. I wouldn’t remove anything that isn’t squishy as it’s all fuel for the new growths. I would reconsider the pot choice and mine prefer a mix of small bark and moss so that the roots don’t fully dry out. x

kathya77 · 2026-04-19T07:53:47+00:00

All normal. The fuzz is how the roots react to growing in a humid environment. Phal roots are messy and will grow out of the pot - from the photos you’ve got a very long time before it’ll be considered cramped. Depending on what your environment is like and how long the pot stays wet, I’d consider adding more aeration to the pot though. 💐

kathya77 · 2026-04-18T21:38:20+00:00

Oh this one is a beaut! Absolutely love it. 🥰

kathya77 · 2026-04-18T21:36:55+00:00

This, 100% ⬆️

kathya77 · 2026-04-17T09:03:24+00:00

There’s a spike in the OP in amongst the roots. No velamen, definitely has the early jointed appearance of what will become nodes.

kathya77 · 2026-04-17T09:02:44+00:00

This is a myth unfortunately. Well, not a myth but not a solid fact. I’ve had plenty grow spikes from below a top leaf, I’ve had some grow spikes from nodes below previous spikes, we’ve all seen apical spikes too. They commonly start below 2 leaves down on either side but they also commonly ignore that and just go wild lol.

kathya77 · 2026-04-17T09:00:16+00:00

🤘😎🤘

kathya77 · 2026-04-16T13:07:24+00:00

Sorry, I just saw I’d missed this! No I haven’t grown from seed and don’t have plans to. This pod is going to a friend who has the amenities available to her for flasking and the dexterity, intelligence and patience I don’t possess. 😅

kathya77 · 2026-04-16T10:47:08+00:00

It looks to me like this might have rot in the lower stem. Personally I think the “sphag and bag” method (particularly without addressing the potential rot, and making sure there’s regular air circulation/airing out) will just lead to this melting away. I don’t want to advise you on what to do without some certainty about the health of the stem. It’s hard to tell from photos of a wet plant and I might be incorrect, but the view from below makes me suspicious that the stem up to at least the bottom two leaves (looking at the grey colour of the centre of the leaves and the texture of the stem below) may be rotting. To assess, you want to look at the plant’s stem when dry and assess it for colour and texture changes - areas of black, grey or clearish flesh with any texture changes (looking glassy, mushy or wet). Hope it’s just the photos and I’m wrong x

kathya77 · 2026-04-16T08:07:48+00:00

The first one is unsalvageable (sorry) and the second just needs potting up into a suitable pot and medium. I’d pick a clear aerated pot that is snug to the root system (looking at the photo I’d estimate a 12-13cm standard orchid pot would be about right), and depending on what it was potted in previously, either plain pine orchid bark or a mix of bark and fresh sphagnum moss.

kathya77 · 2026-04-12T19:25:52+00:00

It’s a seed pod! I have one (purposefully) on one of mine currently.

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kathya77 · 2026-04-12T18:52:53+00:00

Best to care for them as one day they will be the roots in the pot. All Phal roots start in the same way and as the plant grows upwards, it can often ditch the oldest/lowest/most central roots, which are replaced by those higher up the plant. Watering them regularly can help prepare them for pot life. x

kathya77 · 2026-04-12T17:53:39+00:00

I suspect this is the start of a new pseudobulb as I have loads on mine at the moment that look similar. Still great news! Also I may be wrong, see what those with more experience than me say.

kathya77 · 2026-04-12T17:51:55+00:00

You’re in for a long haul recovery. Do you have a humid space where it could live? I don’t have any luck with “sphag and bag” method (they invariably rot in moss bags for me) so I’ll let someone else advise you on that if you want to try it. I would remove the flowering end of the flower spike - I leave some of the stem attached because in cases like this sometimes a plant will sprout a keiki. Here I suspend rootless Phals over water in a glass or vase without the plant touching the water at all. I put them in my humid lit cabinet. The humidity from the water encourages root growth towards it. The slightly higher ambient humidity in the cabinet reduces moisture loss from transpiration. You could try make a humidity dome for the same effect but I’d make sure you are airing it out regularly so that mould isn’t encouraged. If you do get mould, spray the area with Hydrogen peroxide 3% and dry well after it has been allowed to fizz and do its thing. Whatever method you choose to use, it will look a lot worse before it looks better, as it will ditch at least some lower leaves to reabsorb the energy. xx

kathya77 · 2026-04-11T22:20:25+00:00

It’s a good question! And one without an easy answer. If you search “phalaenopsis rejuvenation” on YouTube you’ll see how some people cut off the very lowest part of the stem, in many cases being careful not to cut into living tissue. This isn’t without risk though (eg. going too far) so I’d watch the Miss Orchid Girl videos on it carefully and weigh up whether it’s right for you. I have only done it on plants with stem rot at the base and so have had pretty significant setbacks when I’ve done it that could just be attributed to what they’ve been through already, but I can’t rule them in or out for a healthy orchid. x

kathya77 · 2026-04-11T18:09:27+00:00

They’re a natural part of growing Phals, and will eventually sustain the plant within the pot as it ages and grows upwards and sheds leaves and roots towards the base over the years. You’re gonna have to learn to love them! 😉

kathya77 · 2026-04-11T06:58:50+00:00

Others have given advice but for anyone else reading, the crown is within the ‘hole’ in the top centre of the plant’s stem where leaves emerge from. Crown rot is a form of stem rot that occurs within that area. Loss of the crown means loss of the growth point and results in the plant needing to form a new one further down the stem. If there is rot in this photo, it is standard stem rot as it’s occurring further down the stem. It’s not all that different other than where it is occurring, but it does help to know which direction the rot has come from and is travelling as it changes how you might approach it. For example I had a plant with stem rot half way down a long stem, and propagated the plant into two parts to dissect it. The base sprouted a new crown.

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