Phalaenopsis NOID: the big phattie

Just like the paphiopedilum in the earlier post, I picked this phal up from one of the flower stores on 28th st of Manhattan.  This monster of an orchid never had a name tag, but it did have 3 flower spikes, 8 leaves, and a massive root system.

The phal in July

Like many orchids, it suffered from the stress of transportation between the store and my apartment.  The blooms didn't last very long, and some of the buds blasted before they could open.  The plant also dropped one of its older leaves, and likely lost a few roots before I got around to repotting it out of what was rather degraded sphagnum moss potting mixture.

Although the phal dropped its flowers, the spikes remained green, and a few months later started showing signs of fresh activity.

fresh growth from an old spike

Each of the 3 spikes was producing new growths, and I was very excited at the prospect of reblooming the orchid so quickly.  However, as time went on, something the growths started appearing a bit odd.

a few weeks later

Instead of  round immature buds, the growths started forming into leaves, which will eventually grow into new plants that can be separated into pots of their own.  I now have two definite keikis, one growth that's still uncertain whether it will become keiki or flower spike, and several very early growths at nearly every node along the old spike.  

young keikis

I have to admit I was hoping for flowers, but I am still excited to grow my very first orchid keikis.  I'm not sure what I'll do when the keikis are ready for separation from the mother plant, as I am running low on room under the growth lights.  However it will probably be the better part of a year before they're big enough.