Please tell me that this is a Bulbo spike...

[Susie11]

I was doing a repot today and I noticed what could be the beginnings of two spikes starting on my new Bulbo. grandiflorum. I am unsure what to look for as I have never had one before but I would love this to be the case because I love grandiflorum and I would be chuffed if I could actually bloom one. It means of course that I shall have to increase my collection if it is a spike, I already know which one I want to get next!







Is it a spike or is it just a new growth? -both of which would be really good.

[serama]

Susie, I'd say it's a new growth.

Like most sympodial orchids, bulbophyllums bloom only once from a mature pseudobulb. However, it's only the newest, fully developed pseudobulbs that will generally bloom (that's the front one on each "string" of pseudobulbs). In this case that's the one that's just started to put out a new crop of roots in the last picture. If that one hasn't flowered yet, then there's a good chance it will flower later this year. Pseudobulbs that have flowered previously won't flower again and even those that for whatever reason didn't bloom after they matured, won't bloom if they have a newer pseudobulb growing ahead of them (this only applies to those species that produce one new pseudobulb at the tip of each lead per year, those that produce several pseudobulbs in succession in one year can have all of the new pseudobulbs bloom at the same time).

Those thick nobs at the base of the older pseudobulbs are meristems. All pseudobulbs have them and some of them naturally develop into new growths to help the plant branch, particularly if the leading pseudobulb is damaged and the plant can't continue growing from it. So there's a chance that later this year or early next year, you will have 2 pseudobulbs with flower spikes (the one at the lead that is producing roots right now and the one that's just started growing and is producing a new branch from the oldest pseudobulb).

[Susie11]

Really? Because they don't look the same, one is long and mitteny while the other new growth looks more bulb like. Um, I wonder. Thanks for replying anyway Tony, we shall have to see.

[serama]

I could be wrong of course, my own orchids have at times decided to do the opposite of what they should logically have done (how dare they go against logic!!!)

I just thought that the new growth looked a bit spindly and white because it was buried under sphagnum moss and hadn't reached the light yet. But hey! If it turns out to be a flower then: YEY! Well done.

[Susie11]

Yes I shall be very happy if get a flower I should imagine. I have no idea about these as I said but hopefully you are wrong . I bet that you are right although aren't flower spikes usually thin when they start growing? I just thought that because it was mitten like shaped that it must be a flower spike and the other one I think is a new pbulb as it looks like a minature one already. Oh well, time will tell. I shall keep you posted.

[TwoStems]

The bulbo I have had a fatter growth that turned into a bud. It's really hard to tell until it starts to look too odd to be a p-bulb. Keep your fingers crossed!

[Susie11]

They are currently crossed...
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[serama]

The suspense is killing me , can you tell what it is yet?