Phalaenopsis deception

[jai_star]

This Phal has either a spike or basal keiki? growing on the left. Which I have discovered it a week ago and then I notice a growth on the opposite side 2 days ago at first thinking it maybe another spike or keiki because it is at the exact spot where it should arise from. Today I realise that new growth is a root see how it's pointing down while the first growth on the left is pointing up. I just want to let everyone know how deceptive these plants can be. Hopefully will help new growers differentiate between the two.

The top picture is a new root but growing from where a spike would grow
The bottom picture is either a spike or keiki ( still early to tell )

[sand_tiger86]

First pic - root, like you said.

Bottom pic - Spike. I can almost guarantee it.

You're right, at first Phals can seem very confusing when they start shooting out new whatevers. But it's quite easy to tell the difference when you've grown them long enough. Roots are always blunt, and spikes are always...well, spiked. And then a small glove shape appears as it emerges a little more. The root that's growing from an unusual place isn't really that unusual, as it looks like the leaves below have about had it and it's ready to start living its life above them.

[TirSigel]

ok...bottom pic...I notice a line in the leaf, where it may cleave. I've had some stressed phals (usually cold stress) that do this just before it drops the leaf. Seems to happen more on new growth. Any ideas why this happens??

Thanks,

Kevin

[Mamarazzi]

Greetings! This is my first new growth aside from roots and I am unable to determine what it is! Doesn't really look like a mitten and it's rather flat, so keiki?

Thanks!

Lisa

[jai_star]

I would say a flowering spike!! But give it another 2-3 weeks to be certain. Congrats

[pavel]

Top pic root definitely.

2nd pic isn't great but I also would go with spike.

3rd pic, could be a spike or keiki -- leaning toward keiki.

Kev, all phal leaves have that line near the base of the leaf. (For that matter the leaves of all orchids do, to the best of my knowledge and experience.) It marks the abscission layer. Stress factors such as mechanical damage, wild temperature fluxuation, illness/presence of pathogens, etc. can trigger a response such that the cells in this zone rapidly degrade causing/allowing the leaf to drop. (This abscission may also be triggered if the leaf is simply old and not photosynthesizing efficiently enough.) Simply put, it is a survival mechanism.