How Does a Keiki Differ From a New Growth?

[Nancy]

I have one Dendrobium Phalaenopsis. It sort of has me baffled. There is what looks like a growth coming from the base of the pb just above the roots. It has remained short, only growing about four inches. The leaves are small and one of the leaves is turning yellow near the top. I thought it was a new growth but now I'm not so sure. It has avery nice root system. If this is a keiki, should I remove it because it is so close to the base of the previous growth? Could it possibly get in the way of a new growth? Any thoughts on this will be helpful.

[Aleksa]

Keikis are usualy formed on the top of the canes (as with Dendrobiums) or on the flower stalk (as with Phalaenopsis).

[mayres]

Dendrobiums put out new growth along a lateral line - usually just under the surface of the media - but some will eventually work their way on top of the media and you will see them popping out there. Here is a pic of one of my dends that has traveled a few years towards the front of the pic and then I was able to get it to turn and head back the other way - note the new growth coming out of the last cane (more often than not this would be UNDER the media). As Aleksa was noting - keiki's usually form along the canes higher up on dends. Sometimes people will take a cane from a dendrobium and cut it off and lay it horizontal in a bed of sphag and then little keiki's will sprout at the joints - to get additional plants.

[Nancy]

I was wondering, since it now seems to be a growth, should I keep fertilizing it even though this would normally be a Den Phal's resting time? Thanks for the input. These plants really don't follow the rules sometimes.

[mayres]

As long as it is sending out new growths and roots I would go ahead and fertilize - it is obviously not resting. Depending upon culture and genetics some of these hybrids can grow/bloom any time of year - and multiple times per year.

[Tobi]

Because these hybrids are induced to bloom at any time of the year there
is no set time when to fertilize. As Mike stated, if it's actively growing new
canes or flower spikes, fertilize every other week. If no active growth, then
fertilize every 4-5 weeks. They don't need the winter rest that the nobile
types do.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Nancy

I have one Dendrobium Phalaenopsis.

Nancy, In orchid species names, the species part of the name is never capitalized. So in this cast it should be: Dendrobium phalaenopsis with a lower case "P". If it is a hybrid, the correct term is Phalaenopsis type (or Phal type) hybrid.

Originally Posted by Nancy

It sort of has me baffled. There is what looks like a growth coming from the base of the pb just above the roots. It has remained short, only growing about four inches. The leaves are small and one of the leaves is turning yellow near the top. I thought it was a new growth but now I'm not so sure.

If it is coming from the base of the plant it is definitely a new growth. Depending on the age of the plant and the culture you give the plant, new growths can be larger, the same size, or smaller than previous growths. If you've only recently aquired the plant, the change in conditions could possibly cause a new growth to be smaller and less healthy than previous growths.

If you have not already done so, go to American Orchid Society and download the culture sheet for Dendrobiums. The AOS culture sheet is designed for Phalaenopsis-type hybrids so your plant should fare well under those conditions.

Originally Posted by Nancy

It has avery nice root system. If this is a keiki, should I remove it because it is so close to the base of the previous growth? Could it possibly get in the way of a new growth? Any thoughts on this will be helpful.

As I mentioned above it's not a keiki, it's a new growth. If it were a keiki, it would be growing from one of the nodes along the cane, usually near the tip. Do not remove it and just let the plant grow naturally. It will not get in the way of new growth, in fact just the opposite, it will produce the new growth.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by mayres

Dendrobiums put out new growth along a lateral line - usually just under the surface of the media

Some varieties of Dendrobium clump or have other growth habits too. I've always potted mine so the new growths come at the surface of the mix, never under it. This prevents moisture from being held at the tender new shoot and helps to prevent rot.

You'll notice in mayres' photo what appears to be a "stair step" kind of climbing habit. Some Den species grow up tree trunks or rocky cliff faces and therefore exhibit this climbing habit. Usually in hybrids this habit gets "washed out" in the gene mix.

[digitalgate]

normally dump the cane aside after the cane has finished producing keiki. They
will dump the cane on shelf and force it to grow keiki. Then they will cut
keiki and make new plant . Saving money on new plant.
[IMG][/IMG]

[Nancy]

Thank you all for your advice. The plant looks healthy, but it has lost several leaves from its older cane. I think this is normal?

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Mike, I agree with Kevin that you have planted your Phal Dens too deeply if the growth comes from under the mix. You are probably not getting the rhizome level when you repot, necessitating the deeper potting and the plant then moving the new growths upward continuing the unlevel rhizome. If you get the rhizome level with the mix surface, you can pull the canes upright after the plant has rooted well.

I would suggest that any growth very close to the base should be considered a new growth if the roots can make it easily into the mix.

I have a D. obtusisepalum that was way, way over do for new growths. It is ever green, but had lost all its leaves and some where along the way I had removed a couple of embryonic high keikis, which is my normal practice. Recently a couple of keikis started an inch or 2 above the base. Under the circumstances I repotted the plant an inch or 2 deeper, and called these the new growths. So relieved, as this one was about twice the price I usually pay for Dens. Oh, did I mention I'm a tightwad?

[Nancy]

I suppose I am a tight wad as well. Most of my plants came from the Home Depot after they had finished blooming. i buried my plant with just the roots under the mix. The new growth began a little higher but will still be able to reach the mix. Besides, it makes me feel like I'm doing something right to see all those green, healthy roots. I think the plants okay for now. Thanks for the replies.