what is growing on my orchids?

[parvs]

Hello! I posted two months ago about the leaves falling off of my orchids, and was advised to stop watering with ice cubes, remove dead roots, repot and reposition. Now, the orchids still have no leaves, but they are alive (i think) because something is growing on them. what are these and what am I supposed to do? (just a teensy reminder, i am a beginner at this- i don't know a thing haha, i've had these orchids for a while but they are my first orchids. they were gifts to me because i love buying cut orchids.) thanks! =)

[chrisa]

All but the second pic looks like a keiki to me, but I will let others chime in.

[ctb]

keiki, baby orchids, let them grow till they have about three inches of their own roots then they are ready to be replanted, you can usually just twist them off, or leave them on the Mother Plant. Whichever you prefer.

[parvs]

oh how exciting!! =D what will happen to the mother plan now though, is there still hope for their leaves to grow back?

[coeruleo]

well, those pseudobulbs (the stem parts) will not grow new leaves, they will stay bare. but, they do store energy for the growing plant. i think this is a dendrobium of some sort, so they grow a new p-bulb now and then, new growths start out like you see on yours, a little sprout, and it will form a new bulb and roots. as it gets more new growths, the overall strength of the plant will grow, and the bulbs will eventually be the same size and larger than the originals. the ones from the base are 'new growths' but the ones from the tops of bulbs are 'keikeis' that in nature usually fall off the mother plant on their own. you can put them in the bark with the mom, or pot them up by themselves. some dendrobiums are deciduous and lose their leaves every year. some last a few years then lose their leaves. there are a lot of different types of dendros, and different culture needs, so it is hard to say exactly how to grow them, but i've never heard people do well with ice. it's so unnatural for an orchid to encounter ice water in the tropics. but i know websites that instruct to do it.

[parvs]

Thank you so much for the answers and explanations. =) I actually felt weird watering them with ice cubes, but the person who told me to do it has about 50 orchids and that's the way she does it, so i took her advice. I also saw them using ice cubes in singapore, so I thought I was doing the right thing. Maybe for certain kinds of orchids? I really don't know. =) Now I know better and I'm so excited to know about the new growth. =) Thank you again! =)

[panam]

Now aren't you glad you didn't give up on the orchids? You're having babies!! Congratulations, and best wishes.

[Katherine]

Congratulations! You have rescued your first orchid! And very successfully I might add!

[parvs]

Thank you! what an accomplishment! you have no idea how happy I was to know it was alive and having babies!

[MeDeL]

Hi parvs, where do you live? I think I once saw that neighborhood on your photos?