Phalaenopsis complex hybrids

[Ana Danaya]

Hi
Recently on Youtube I saw a video where a normal phal from supermarket was being grown in water culture.
The plant got stem rot and it is blooming. The plant is dehydrated and has limp and wrinkly leaves.
The discussion was about cutting the flower spikes (yes or no)?
It seems to be a somewhat generalised idea that flower spikes are energy storage organs that should not be cut.
Is this true?
My opinion is that flowers spend more energy than the spike brings to the over all plant, since they are not storage organs, am I wrong?
BR
Ana

[raybark]

My take is this:

Generally speaking, if it is green, it is photosynthesizing and providing resources for the plant. However, in the situation you describe, it is likely that the plant is throwing resources into the spike in a "last ditch" effort to carry on its genetics before dying. Chop away!

[JDT]

As usual Ray is the one to get the correct answers from!