phal orchid with two basal keikis!

[sciencegal]

Just after Easter I rescued two half-dead for half price phals. They were extremely dehydrated, lost all but two leaves (one lost another one a little later). One didn't have many roots but is now happily growing its second new leaf. The other one which had a better living root system has been very slow to start to grow a new leaf. The leaf is very small and it looks like it is starting to grow a second leaf.

A few weeks ago I decided to put all of the phals into clay pots with more bark than moss. When I repotted the second one, the one with the better root system, I noticed a basal keiki which has since grown a second leaf. This was exciting enough, but yesterday I noticed a tiny bit of pale green on the other side. This morning I verified that it is a second basal keiki.

I also noticed either an aphid or a green mite on the first keiki. I blasted it with my handy bottle of 50% alcohol and closely checked all of the other orchids.

Is it normal to get two basal keikis like this?

[78Terp]

It is hard to say, it depends on a lot of different factors. I have one phal equestris hybrid that basal keikis are common on. And I have about 7 of them on it.

[chingjervis]

With orchids, they have their own attitude, so it is hard to say.

Just remember that if its healthy and growing be happy about it.

[sciencegal]

I am thinking that this is a response to all the stress it went through. I am happy that I was able to keep it alive as well as produce keikis.

I have one phal equestris hybrid that basal keikis are common on. And I have about 7 of them on it.

Did you leave all of the keikis on the mother plant?

[78Terp]

For phal equestris orchid, yes. I understand they prefer it. For other phal types, that may not be the case.

It is just coming back into bloom and I will be posting it soon (when more buds are open). I think I have some leaf damage from watering it too late in the day but otherwise is doing great!

[Trinity Orchids]

This is something I'm envious of. I've been growing phals for nearly seven years and never achieved a keiki. I've thought about ordering bpa and making my own paste with lanolin or Vaseline as the carrier for the bpa, but I don't want my plants to do anything they aren't equipped/(happy?) to do.
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[sciencegal]

Funny you should mention this phal. It has produced two more keikis since I initially posted.

Before it produced keiki #1 and #2 it had started growing a new leaf which only got about 1/4 of an inch long then stalled after the first two keikis developed. After awhile a third keiki sprouted right out of the center of the stem where you'd expect another new leaf. The tiny new leaf eventually dried up. Just a week or so ago keiki #4 started growing out of the stem just below keiki #3. The large leaf above keiki #2 is the only one left after its severe dehydration. It has plumped up and looks nice and healthy. It will be interesting to see what this phal does next.

[Trinity Orchids]

It looks like you're going to have a bunch of beautiful plants on your hands. 😊
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[sciencegal]

I think it will only be one plant. The keikis are not producing roots.

[78Terp]

They can take a long time to grow roots.