Root or spike?

[dhill001]

My phal has been doing really well over the last year. It has produced several leaves and multiple roots. It is still producing roots and leaves now, but one of the new "roots" is coming in from where one of the bottom leaves emerges from the plant. It is on top of that leaf, from the center of the plant and growing along the leaf. My question is this: Is it just a root, or a spike? It hasn't been very happy until the last year. It has a grow light and I finally figured out a good watering/feeding schedule. It hasn't formed a spike since I bought it and I am getting anxious and excited that it may be doing that finally.

Thanks,
Leon

[janet_a]

take a look at this thread and see if any of the pics look right:

Is this the start of a new flower spike?

[jerrymeola]

roots are usually light gray with a bright green tip.

flower spikes are not as thick and more uniformally dark forest green

[dhill001]

Here are a couple of shots about what I am talking about:

[prisana]

That's a root..at least I've never seen a spike shaping itself to the surface of a leave like that..but I could be wrong. To me phal roots tends to grow towards the moisture, which is usually down, or sometimes , parallel to the leaves . You can usually see the mitten -like tip of a spike quite early on if it's a spike.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

The white with green tip is the characteristic look of a root, whether growing up or down.

[agarrat]

its a root

[janet_a]

ooh yeah, root. i've got a hilo lip that steadfastly refuses to spike, but has aerial roots coming from between most of its leaves. another NOID does that as well, roots wandering along the tops of the leaves and then over the edges (and then bifurcating or trifurcating). sometimes the roots will go right through the crease of a leaf, too.