Take a look at this...

[Fabolusus]

This is a NOID intergeneric Odont I have had for a year. It is finally sending up spikes, but it looks like they might be deformed. It looks like they're getting stuck going through the flower sheaths?

[BillC]

Hi Fab, that's amazing. I have never come across anything like that before and I would be surprized if anyone has. Maybe one of the top geeks can advise you on how to cope even if they have not experienced this behavior.
Hope you get it sorted out.

Bill

[mayres]

Don't know what causes this but I have had this happen several times in the past. I usually just help it out at some point and everything works out OK in the end - normal finishing growth on spike and good flowers! Just be careful helping it out and enjoy! mike

[prisana]

Well I'm not a top geek, but I had that happened once with a vanda spike, and a couple times with catt new growth , they did need some help, the growth stretched out a bit but still pretty wacky-looking, but the vanda had it going far too long before I got it, so even after I tried to correct it, it was deformed , but still gave me a 4 funny flowers. Good luck to you, maybe you caught it early enough and it's fine.

[kmarch]

Fab, You don't have a deformity, the spikes are caught inbetween the leaves. If you fancy a bit of an adventure and if you can be super, super careful, you can gently open up that leaf fold and the spike may just pop out. Or you can gently slide it out. It's tricky but possible, you really have to be careful though. I did this just this morning with a copule of Cymbidium buds stuck in the bracts. Once free, your buds may or may not straighten out.

[Fabolusus]

Using a bamboo skewer, I carefully separated the sheath and pulled it out. I wonder what caused both spikes to grow this way?

[kmarch]

I had an Odont. Tiger Barb that did this. Turns out I was underwatering. Underwatering can make all the growths and leaves "tight" and sometimes pleated. I watered more and the next blooming didn't do that. Of course this was only one instance. I've had it with other genera, like Laelia anceps but they have really sticky sheaths and require humidity to loosen them up.

[Fabolusus]

Kmarch- I think you're right. I waited too long to repot it. The bark had decomposed to the point that it needed to be watered every other day, and all of the new growths were coming out pleated. I guess water wasn't getting to all of the roots.


Here's a pic of it in bloom last year. Anyone recognize it?