Keikis growing out of keikis.

[gjanick]

I have had this noid dendrobium for over two years, and I have never seen one bloom yet. So I have no idea what the orchid is. I believe that it may have yellow blooms from an old cane that had a little yellow remaining at the tip of the cane. This dendrobium almost died 2 years ago, and now it has rebounded and is very healthy.

Anyway, I now have new healthy baby keikis (complete with its own tiny healthy roots) growing out of the bases of the existing keikis. The keikis appear to be growing very quickly. I don't know if this is appropriate or not, but it certainly looks quite cool! So, is there any chance that I will ever see blooms or flowers? The first pic is one of the entire plant.

Would you keep this plant intact like I have done without removing the keikis? I am just curious.

Thanks for paying attention!

[Chris in Hamilton]

I'd remove and pot up the keiki if it were mine. The old cane's are pretty much used up. There are no nodes left to produce flowers or more growths so they are just acting as a nutrient source for the keiki. Don't remove the new growths from the keiki. I would put them all in the same pot unless you want to give one or two away. Be sure to keep the cool and dry next winter. Should get more flowers and less babies that way.

[Sheryl]

Yes, I have a dendrobium hibiki with the same issue right now. It was so beautiful last year but this winter all the leaves turned redfish purple and then dropped. Now a lot of kikis. Thanks for the advice, Chris. I'll start working on that. Good luck with yours /gjanick

[Dorsetman]

The great advantage of lots of keikis is that you can take them all off - or sometimes I leave them on but cut the old cane, so that the keiki roots go into compost - but essentially grow them in different ways.
Some I put in Perlite, with a grit topping, and some ofthosego into S/H, where theycan flower the same year. But others I put into bark, or sphag. Moss. Some I will hang up in the shade, and some in a brighter spot.
That way I get to find out what they really like. And not all dendrobes want the same.
But don't leave any where they are, that way lies certain failure.

[gjanick]

I'd remove and pot up the keiki if it were mine. The old cane's are pretty much used up. There are no nodes left to produce flowers or more growths so they are just acting as a nutrient source for the keiki. Don't remove the new growths from the keiki. I would put them all in the same pot unless you want to give one or two away. Be sure to keep the cool and dry next winter. Should get more flowers and less babies that way.

I will remove them on Saturday. Then, should I just discard the old mother plant and cains?

The great advantage of lots of keikis is that you can take them all off - or sometimes I leave them on but cut the old cane, so that the keiki roots go into compost - but essentially grow them in different ways.
Some I put in Perlite, with a grit topping, and some ofthosego into S/H, where theycan flower the same year. But others I put into bark, or sphag. Moss. Some I will hang up in the shade, and some in a brighter spot.
That way I get to find out what they really like. And not all dendrobes want the same.
But don't leave any where they are, that way lies certain failure.

Thank you!

Thanks Chris.

[zainal abidin]

I agree with all above and these is hard cane dendrobium which require more light in order to stimulate bud formation and need bigger pot later nice keikies.