# Should I toss it?



## daniella3d (Sep 5, 2014)

Hi, this phal is always blooming the same way, with the spike coming out of the center rather than on the side. When the flower spike is grown, then only one flower manages to open and all other dry up and fall off, even if the plant is well watered.

It always do that but usually it manages to grow a new leave as the old one move up but it's been that way for more than a year now and no new growth, nothing. It seem to be jammed in this way and will not do anything. Last time the spike was quite big and thick so there is a big obstacle for the leaves to grow now, so nothing. Obviously the plant is not normal, some sort of mutation makes the spike come out from the center of the plant but is there something to do to help or should I just toss it? Anyone know what this condition is called?

thanks!


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## Lmpgs (Sep 5, 2014)

Soon a new growth will emerge from the base of the plant. Just wait. I've seen this before 4-5 times.


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## Linus_Cello (Sep 5, 2014)

This means that the plant won't grow new leaves from the top. You need to wait for a basal keikei for a "new plant" (and theoretically more blooms, but it could bloom from the side). I have one like this, and I'll try to remember take a pic to show you.


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## daniella3d (Sep 5, 2014)

Soon? how many years? because it's been like that for about a year and half, stalled.

But I am glad to know there is still hope because it has a beautiful flower.




Lmpgs said:


> Soon a new growth will emerge from the base of the plant. Just wait. I've seen this before 4-5 times.


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## SlipperFan (Sep 5, 2014)

As long as the leaves are stiff and green, and the roots are healthy, the plant has a good chance of growing a keiki. If you really like the flower, be patient. It could be another year before a keiki forms.


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## lepetitmartien (Sep 5, 2014)

It can reject from the base or interleaves in a few months or more. Just care of it as usual.

Sometimes what we think is a central spike can be just a normal spike that only found the center to get out, and new leaves will come out as usual.

On the origin of it, well, it's a mistake in the genetics and it happens to hybrids. it all depends how much the DNA is scrambled by all the crossings.


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## daniella3d (Sep 5, 2014)

No this is really a central spike. The plant has flowered twice and each time it does this, plus only one flower manages to survive each time. There is definitely a problem with it and the way it bloom. Even the flower is not normal. it is much more round than a normal phal flower, almost perfectly round in shape. Too bad I did not take a pic of it.

I just found out it is called "terminal spike" and it seems that it will not bloom again unless it produce a baby. Oh well, I guess I can consider this "an experiment".




lepetitmartien said:


> It can reject from the base or interleaves in a few months or more. Just care of it as usual.
> 
> Sometimes what we think is a central spike can be just a normal spike that only found the center to get out, and new leaves will come out as usual.
> 
> On the origin of it, well, it's a mistake in the genetics and it happens to hybrids. it all depends how much the DNA is scrambled by all the crossings.


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## PaphMadMan (Sep 22, 2014)

lepetitmartien said:


> On the origin of it, well, it's a mistake in the genetics and it happens to hybrids. it all depends how much the DNA is scrambled by all the crossings.



A terminal spike can certainly happen to species too, not just hybrids. It can be a genetic tendency, but often depends on environmental triggers as well. It really can't even be called abnormal since most Phal species will survive by existing basal keikis when it happens. 

Hybrids have often been selected for single-crown habit, so may be less likely to get that essential basal keiki. But as long as the plant is healthy, as this appears to be, there is hope. It really depends on your space and patience. A little extra nitrogen fertilizer might help. Or get some keiki-grow paste to apply to nodes near the base of the plant - this is a hormone treatment that helps trigger new shoots.

As for the abnormal single flower - that could happen every time, or never again.


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## e-spice (Sep 22, 2014)

The plant looks pretty healthy so, as other have said, there is a very good chance a keiki will form in a year or less. I would hang on to it.


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## Linus_Cello (Sep 22, 2014)

toss it- it's not a slipper


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## lepetitmartien (Sep 23, 2014)

Paphmadman, I was writing about hybrids only. 

Daniella, have you tried to give it a little bit more light? To see if it start to dance the blues?*

(*Bowie pun intended)


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