Pleione question. I am confused

[gabi_borza]

I was wondering if any of you who grow this species know what these are. At first I thought those were some erratic leaves, but it turns out they are bulbs coming out of the top of the older one. Can someone clarify this for me? Why is this happening?

[zainal abidin]

Some orchids in response to poor environment they begin to produce more keikies especially to the older pseudobulb eg dendrobium crumenatum, in other condition when too much fertilizer given to them especially growing type (NPK 20:20:20) again will be manifested by more keiki. When the root system rots again the same reaction will follow. Your the pseudobulb is OK maybe need to check the root.
Another possible causes is to give you more plants later you can repot it.

[gabi_borza]

I grow mine in an east facing window, no direct sun, water when the medium is slightly dry (by spraying the top of the medium, untill it is wet, as the roots of this species do not go deep), I fertilize every week, with 8-12-12 fertilizer. About 68 F during the day, and 54 during night, 65% humidity. I don't think it is in a poor growing environment. The roots are ok, checked them last week.

[zainal abidin]

Well great, bonus for you once the keiki already mature and having enough roots you can separate from the mother plant. It seem to me the others pseudobulb is very healthy. Good growing looking forward the further development of this keiki.

[gabi_borza]

Thanks Zain, but can you call these keikies? I'm not sure.

[gabi_borza]

And if indeed they are keikies, what should I do next? Because this species blooms first, then grows roots.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

What an interesting thing to happen. If they are keikies, then the orchid will eventually grow roots down from the p-bulbs. Will be interested to see how these develop.

cheers,
BD

[kiwiorchids]

Those are known as Daughter bulbs-the corm will always produce two or three, in this case, 4 of these. These will replace the mother bulb that will slowly decompose. Each bulb lasts one season. Just leave them there, they will eventually sink to the medium level and will produce some nice blooms the next season! mine do this frequently. Pleiones do not produce keikeis.

[gabi_borza]

Thank you Jordan! I knew you grow pleiones, so I was waiting for your answer

[kiwiorchids]

Thank you Jordan! I knew you grow pleiones, so I was waiting for your answer

No problem Gabi, there is a grower in my OS, he lifts his every year, and then plants them out, but i never do. dont bother disturbing them, they will grow in their own quite and ignorant bliss Keep it less moist in its dormancy stage, but it doesnt really matter. If you just leave the bulbs alone and dont remove the dead bulbs, the nutrients will keep cycling, from mother bulb to daughter bulb, and they will dissapear after a while too. Infact, i must get a picture of then pleiones the lady who i got my first formosanas from grows-she has these large bowls absolutely CRAMMED with them!