Odd Green Phal Spike

[E-Jag]

A couple of years ago I purchased 2 small noid phals in bloom. Last year they bloomed again and the spikes and buds were a purplish color right from the get-go. They bloomed for nearly 6 months. Last month they spiked again, one each. One has the same purplish spike and buds (3 so far) as always. The other, though, has a pure green spike with no discernible buds. Kind of a light/pastel green, not dark. I believe I read recently where someone had a phal with the same green spike, but can't locate the thread. As I recall, these spikes take quite awhile to bloom but then bloom alot and longer. Or something. There was something out of the ordinary about the green spike. Does anyone have any idea what I'm talking about? I don't have a camera so......

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E-Jag

[janet_a]

one of my reliable noid's just started a spike --it was very pale green for a few days and then started to darken; unusual for this plant.

maybe it's global warming?

[E-Jag]

Janet, this spike is at least a month old. No change in color and not the slightest hint of a bud. A very strange looking (to me) spike.

E-Jag

[E-Jag]

Just located the thread I referenced above, started by Exasperatus on 1-18-08. In it, Patlee and Nancy describe my exact spike/present situation. So, you two, what became of your green spikes? Given your guestimate that these green spikes bloom sequentially over a very long period of time, I am very curious.

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E-Jag

[kmarch]

Things like pigmentation and sequential blooming are geneticically determined. Some phals are sequential and others not and it's determined by the species used in the breeding. A phal won't bloom non-sequentially one year then sequentially the next.

As for the pigment, that is usually determined genetically too but can be affected by light. I'm puzzled though. I'm puzzled though. A flower spike with no buds? Are you sure it is a flower spike?

[E-Jag]

Kevin, absolutely certain it's a spike and nothing resembling a bud yet. I don't know anything about sequential blooming, i noted that simply because Nancy and Patlee discussed it in the "phal spikes" thread of 1-17 (they discussed in on 1-18). This spike is identical to the spike on my other phal purchased at the same time, except, of course, for color and the fact that my other one has 3 buds.

E-Jag

[Vivienne]

Kevin - my thoughts exactly. Can you post a pic? Was thinking (don't want to be a downer or anything) that it could be an aerial root. ???

[E-Jag]

Vivienne, no camera and I've moved so no longer have a next door neighbor with one. May check around this weekend, though. It is definitely a spike. Check out the thread I referenced. It happens.

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E-Jag

[Vivienne]

I certainly don't doubt you. I have one Phal that put up one really long spike then branches twice. One branch put on buds then bloomed... the other (equal length) did nothing.

Gotta love orchids!

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Vivienne

the other (equal length) did nothing.

You mean it never got buds or bloomed? How odd and curious.

[Vivienne]

Yep - no bud, no bloom, just a branch.

[patlee]

E-jag, Mine is the mini Phal Be Tris. It is developing rather slowly, but the spike looks like it has three or four buds They are still small and probably won't bloom for a while, but I'll take that

Good luck with yours--don't give up on it

[mayres]

E-jag
Don't know if this is similar to yours or not, but I have a Phal cornu cervi that has two little green spikes. The first one came out 3-4 months ago and has only grown about 3/8 inch or so. The 2nd one is even shorter. And now there is an aerial root ABOVE both flower spikes! Only time will tell how all this will develop? Here are two pics of the same plant - sorry focus is not real good - darn point and shoot camera (focus is real good on cardboard box behind! )

[Vivienne]

I have a Phal. Be Tris in spike as well. It's growing quickly. Grabbed a pic with my cell phone... it JUST this morning started showing signs of budding. The spike is 6" long.

[E-Jag]

Vivienne, mine is 5" long and growing very slowly. Looks just like yours, without the bud. Mayres - imagine yours about 4" longer and you've got mine. Last year, both of these phals spiked about the same time, grew about the same length with a purplish coloration, and bloomed about the same time. This year, they spiked about the same time but the other one is now twice as long, purplish and with well developed buds. Weird. I am looking forward to seeing what the green one does, but it's apparently going to be a while.

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E-Jag

[Vivienne]

LOL - gotta love Orchids. They sure keep us on our toes. My spike is growing steadily in length but the bud status hasn't changed very much. I'm growing this one up on a shelf and not supporting the spike... my hope is that is grows as in nature and cascades downward. It's at least starting the arch that way.

When I purchased this plant a year ago it was doubled spiked and had a few branches... this year only 1 spike. Will have to wait to see if it branches at all. Fingers crossed!

[mayres]

Vivienne - love the natural spike effect of phals - I very rarely put stakes in mine - even if fairly long............show us a pic when it's blooming!

[Nancy]

About my two noid phals. The one has the spike from last year lengthening from the end but still no blooms yet. This plant also has a branch that is not growing very quickly either. The other plant I bought with the spike already cut. It has grown a secondary spike and has one bud, about a week from opening and is beginning to form another. Both plants have only produced green spikes. I've only seen one of the flowers. It was starshaped with rounded edges and very deep purple blotches with barely any color in between. I agree, it's all in the species. I can't wait to see the other one bloom.

[E-Jag]

I bought a phal in bloom a couple of weeks ago. Has 2 spikes. One spike has 3 branches and the other spike is just now developing its first branch. 19 buds/blooms originally, crimson and white, but about a third of them blasted.including the open flowers. Mostly bought it for it's genetic makeup - am hoping it will have double spikes and multiple branches every year.

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E-Jag

[exasperatus2002]

Ive never seen a green spike like that before. Thats certainly different (atleast for me). Im just waiting on my buds to open. I have one of 18 that looks like its loosing up to open.