What is this?!

[risa59]

This is a 2.5 year old Phal which I purchased in April 2008 and had to repot recently since it had lost most of its roots after being potted at purchase in what I think was plain old potting soil. This is green and looks like a green flower on the stem. What is it?

[brookn]

I can't really tell, the shot's kinda blurry, sorry. It might be a keiki (a baby Phal).

[YardMeat]

Yes indeed its a Keiki

[BunnytheOrchid]

I have yet to ever see a keiki up close, but it looks like relatively like one.

[risa59]

Sorry i cant yet figure out how to take close up orchid pics with my camera!

I looked at other older postings here that mentioned keiki's and indeed what is happening on my phal looks like the pics in those postings. But hope this doesn't mean I will lose the "mom" plant. It only is a few months old and the spike produced lovely yellow flowers in April. I do hope my repotting will save both plants. I felt I had no choice since the plant wasn't well anchored in the pot which led me to de pot it and look at the roots. Most were dead. I look forward to learning how to pot a keiki once it has roots (and leaves) assuming I can keep "mom" alive long enough.
Thanks for your help!

[Leisurely]

Keikis are common on Phal spikes. It should not have any detrimental affect on the parent plant. When the keiki has developed three roots about one and one half inches long, you can remove it and pot it in its own pot. Until it gets some size on it, my choice of potting mix would be loosely placed sphagnum in about a two inch pot.