Ok, I'm trusting you guys...

[Nobody]

phrag spikes are notoriously flat. basal pinching works well for paphs though.

I think it depends on the developmental stage. If it is at really early stage, sure, it's difficult, but if it is little later, you may be able to tell.

[Jmoney]

I think it depends on the developmental stage. If it is at really early stage, sure, it's difficult, but if it is little later, you may be able to tell.

sure, it depends, but it's much less reliable with phrags than for paphs. the first sign for paphs is often that basal swelling. the first sign for phrags is usually *not* a swelling, which comes much later. the first sign of a phrag spiking up is usually the emergence of a sheath which, in and of itself may be difficult to ascertain...but the odds go up if there's a small bona fide leaf at the same time that the presumed sheath emerges. i have a phrag with a 2" spike right now...if all i could examine were the base, i would *still* not be able to tell conclusively that a spike was there...it's that flat.