Spent stems

[Orchid-Newbie]

Hi! I just would like to ask about the spent stems of my orchid blooms. After all the flowers fell off, do I have to cut the spent stems or just leave them as they are? Thank you in advance on your replies.

[chingjervis]

What kind of orchid is it?

If it is phal, you just leave it as is, sometimes keiki/s or another branching will develop from the spike.

[Orchid-Newbie]

What kind of orchid is it?

If it is phal, you just leave it as is, sometimes keiki/s or another branching will develop from the spike.

How about in Dendrobiums and Vandas.

Thanks for the advise about not cutting the spent stems on Phals. It surely is a learning process to me everyday!

[Carolla]

On my other orchids (I don't have Dendrobiums or Vandas though), my spent stems just die back and I cut them off. On my Phals, I leave them as long as they are green. I've had stems from the last two years rebloom on a happy, big, Phal. They branch and grow new buds. Now I don't get a lot on the old stems and perhaps they take some away from the new growth that blooms, but I tend to let things be as long as they seem alive. I've gotten a keiki on one of them too.

[ksriramkumar]

Concur with Jervis and Carol. Leave it as long as it is green and cut it once it becomes brown.