keiki? try to remove or leave alone?

[dipasquo]

I assume that this is a keiki. I've never had one before so I've never had to consider what to do with it. Should I try to remove it? If so, what's the best technique? What should I do with it after I've successfully remove it?

Or should I leave it alone, attached to the mothership for awhile?

[kmarch]

What kind of orchid is it?

[dipasquo]

Honestly, I don't know. I had a name written on the orange tag that you see, but the name has faded over the past 8 months since I brought it home. A pic of the whole plant is attached. It blooms small white flowers from the same spot at the base of the leaf where the keiki is growing.

[kmarch]

Do you have a picture of the flowers? It would be helpful to know what kind of orchids it is to make a recommendation. Some orchids seem to fare better if the keiki is removed (and therefore doesn't take energy from the mother plant) while with other orchids keikis are very common and usually left on.

This is a blooming size orchid but looks to be rather small. My mind goes to things like Cadetia. If you have a pic of the flower or oculd find one, that would help.

[dipasquo]

Thanks to your good lead I did recall the name of the plant. Cadetia taylori. I do not have a picture of flowers on my own plant, but this is it:
http://orchid-species.blogspot.com/2...a-taylori.html

[tom499]

Very interesting, its for sure not a den or phal, the usual keikei makers.

[kmarch]

Ah, Cadetia taylori!!! I think Cadetias are wonderful! I used to grow a couple of Cadetia species, taylori and another incredibly small one the name of which slips my mind at the moment.

Anyway, as Cadetia have a bunched-up growth habit, I think you'd be fine to leave the keiki as it is. It could well bloom as a keiki. Are you also getting regular growth? Or if you feel compelled to remove it, you could do so when it has a few good roots, perhaps the next time you repot and just pot it in wiht the rest of the plant.

I don't think we have any good Cadetia pics on the forum here so perhaps the next time it blooms you could contribute some to our collection.

Happy Growing!

[dipasquo]

Thanks for your help. I've had it since February. It had 4 flowers on it at the time. Since I have had one new flower come and go; one new leaf that grow up from the rhizome; and the keiki that has come up most recently. So the growth has been slow, but steady. Do you think it could stand more light and perhaps generate a bit more growth?

[WIB]

What does one pot a keiki in? I have one on a dendrobium that is about ready to come off, and I have thumb pots to put it in. Sphagnum? Fine bark? Lizard tongues? -- Bill

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by WIB

What does one pot a keiki in? I have one on a Dendrobium that is about ready to come off, and I have thumb pots to put it in. Sphagnum? Fine bark? Lizard tongues? -- Bill

If it has substantial enough roots, pot it in the same medium that the mother plant is potted in. Or you could do as some folks, treat them as seedlings and put them in a small bark mix. Put it in the smallest pot which can comfortably accomodate the roots, a 50mm or similar size pot will probably do but I can't say for sure becuase I dont' know exactly how big your keiki is.

cheers

[dipasquo]

The keiki is still attached but it has not done much in awhile. On the other hand, the older parts of the plant have put out two flowers over the past couple weeks. The second one just opened this morning.