Removing Keiki from Dendrobium Orchid and Potting it in Bark Mix

Many people grow dendrobium orchids and find themselves with a keiki or two growing on the cane of the dendrobium. This is a common way for plants like dendrobiums, epidendrums, and phalaenopsis orchids to reproduce. Instead of producing seed, the dendrobium produces a baby plant.



'Keiki (pronounced "kay-key") is the Hawaiian word for "baby" or "child", literally meaning "the little one".

In horticulture, it refers to a plant produced asexually by an orchid plant, usually used when referring to Dendrobium, Epidendrum, and Phalaenopsis orchids. The baby plant is an exact clone of the mother plant, sometimes flowering while still attached to the mother plant.

On a Dendrobium, the keiki is typically found sprouting along the length of the cane or from the end of the cane. This is induced by the accumulation of growth hormones at that point, either naturally, or by the application of keiki paste.' (source)

In my greenhouse, we often get a keiki on dendrobiums that are either stressed from needing a repot, or on dendrobiums that have some other stress that initiates a need to reproduce itself.

cheers,
BD

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