# Can phrag spikes stall?



## AdamD (Feb 18, 2014)

I have a Cape Sunset that has been stuck in the same spot in spiking for weeks now. This is why I don't grow many phrags. They don't thrive under my conditions. This one has been an exception, putting out new growths and roots like crazy. The last spike it put out was accidentally broke (by my clumsy hand) and the one before it burned up in summer heat. This one was trucking until a few weeks ago. It looks like it will branch in two places if it ever gets growing again. Does this happen to anyone else? I thought phrags were fast bloomers?


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## SlipperFan (Feb 18, 2014)

Yes, they certainly can. It seems to happen to me especially when I purchase a Phrag in spike.


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## AdamD (Feb 18, 2014)

This one has been in consistent conditions for the past 4 or 5 months in the grow room. 64F nights, 82F days, same spot under the lights. I don't get it, unless it's using all it's energy maturing the other growths...


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## NYEric (Feb 18, 2014)

82F!! Whoo!


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## phrag guy (Feb 19, 2014)

this does happen as Dot said,maybe because of branching it has slowed down.
that is a bit warm but my room gets that high when the sun pops out
My Payten Lang sat for a month with a stalled spike than it flowered,it also was branching


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## eggshells (Feb 19, 2014)

Not only on phrags but spike/sheath stall can happen on paphs as well.


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## ehanes7612 (Feb 19, 2014)

i had a kovachii hybrid stalk stall for 4 months


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## AdamD (Feb 19, 2014)

I am used to hearing about paph spikes stalling. That is why I asked. Hopefully it is just saving more energy for a better show!


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## 17andgrowing (Feb 20, 2014)

Tagging along


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## mrhappyrotter (Feb 22, 2014)

Keeping in mind that I'm skipping over a lot of details and specifics, I do want to chime in here.

I personally haven't dealt with the issue of phrag spikes stalling in my conditions. Phrags love me. I completely acknowledge that it's partly luck and partly my growing conditions, which are hard to quantify and explain.

In my collection, I've never had a spike stall. I have had spikes that abort all blooms. In that case, they buds start to develop, but then turn brown and die. I've also had spikes that develop fungal or bacterial infections and basically flop over at the weak point in the spike.

In other peoples' collections, I've seen "stalls", but typically those spikes fail to recover and never continue growing and blooming. That doesn't mean this will happen to you, of course, so don't lose all faith. In most cases of a stalled spike, I attribute this to culture. I've seen people growing phrags too dry. That translates to people watering and growing phrags like a paph. For most phrags, you should keep them constantly wet or moist and use very clean, low TDS water. Unless your phrag has significant influence from the caudatum group, you can probably get away with keeping them constantly wet, sitting with water in the saucer.

Also, keep the salt based fertilizers to a minimum. You may even consider not using traditional fertilizers at all, and instead switching to "organic" ferts like bonemeal, bloodmeal, et. al.

Other factors that might contribute to stalled spikes are temperature and humidity. Personally, I've never had heat cause any issues, other than besseae hybrids. In that case, the flowers still develop, but the color is usually faded and the flower shape may suffer. Low humidity, less than 50% can have similar effects.


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