what’s this about?

[tedro]

please see my thread in Beginner’s forum!
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...-new-post.html

2 fresh pics attached here, more there ^^^

Thanks!

[PaphMadMan]

The thick broad branching spike is an example of fasciation. The meristem (growth point) of the spike got wide and flat instead of staying narrow and conical. It happens in all kinds of plants with varying frequency. Sometimes it might be due to an environmental problem or physical damage at a critical point in development, but sometimes it just happens. Some individual plants may be prone to it. So, it probably was not under your control, and there is no harm to the plant. You'll get an usually densely branched display of flowers out of it. Please post again when it is in full bloom.

[tedro]

Originally Posted by PaphMadMan

The thick broad branching spike is an example of fasciation. The meristem (growth point) of the spike got wide and flat instead of staying narrow and conical. It happens in all kinds of plants with varying frequency. Sometimes it might be due to an environmental problem or physical damage at a critical point in development, but sometimes it just happens. Some individual plants may be prone to it. So, it probably was not under your control, and there is no harm to the plant. You'll get an usually densely branched display of flowers out of it. Please post again when it is in full bloom.

thank you, can’t talk now, but i did “do stuff” to it.
nothing special, not really on purpose. more later.

i am concerned about this branch surviving.
I don’t really know how much light whether it’s about intensity or the length of hours (or both) or if orchids need darkness at all meaning total darkness or what they call ‘uninterrupted’ darkness. — pretty sure it doesn’t require uninterrupted darkness, if it does require darkness when and how much (hours)?
so I’m very curious about the same thing regarding light.

I do *not have ideal conditions, Probably not even very good. i water an ounce once a week, — pouring over both sides of the plant roots (which are in a plastic cup inside a ceramic holder — as i bought it) let it sit an hour or two, then pour out any remainder.

Thanks

[tedro]

OT, quick question:

i water 1 oz per week.
if top of roots area (small plastic tea cup) are slightly damp, should i hold watering a bit longer?

thanks

[Ray]

Water has nothing to do with this, but as long as the potting medium is open enough to allow plenty of aeration of the root zone, water won't hurt anything.

[tedro]

Originally Posted by Ray

Water has nothing to do with this, but as long as the potting medium is open enough to allow plenty of aeration of the root zone, water won't hurt anything.

thanks you. it is water day, but colder (Naples, FL), damper, and very gray today. i think it’ll be okay to “feel”
and wait and check tomorrow, yes?

Back on topic: the fasciation, ... etc.
When I first got it 5-6 months ago it had the blooms on the branches in the pic (see included pics).
After those were almost gone, this new branch appeared!
Question: it seems to me by looking at it that the branches that those branches were “singular.” THIS one, albeit fasciated, seems like it wanted to be several branches coming off this new one but became quickly fasciated.

I am just very curious about SO many branches from one branch and so many new buds.

Thanks for any and all info!

one the pics, the blooming one, is when I first got it. (the color is not true, but you can discern the original branches. as you might guess, after blooms died I did trim a couple dark brown branch tips — perhaps you can see that by comparing pics.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by tedro

thank you, can’t talk now, but i did “do stuff” to it.
nothing special, not really on purpose. more later.

In both the plant world and animal world ----- or in this world in general, we people have seen lots of interesting things. You know how cells contain information that program them to form whatever they're programmed to form.

As long as the plant continues to survive, stay healthy and grow properly - then everything is ok and under control.

When keeping an orchid, we need to provide it with conditions to keep growing properly. So just keep growing this orchid in the way that you had been, and everything should be great.

I totally agree with Ray about adequate aeration around roots (and media). If aeration is adequate around roots (and temperature and lighting is good, and the plant isn't being attacked by pathogens), then the plant will do just fine.

Aeration around roots can also be associated with air-movement around roots and growing media, or it can also be associated with keeping adequate oxygen level in water around roots (and/or growing media).

As long as the roots get enough oxygen to keep surviving (plus good temperature and lighting) - then no problem. That is, water on roots all the time is generally no problem if aeration is adequate.

If necessary - every once in a while (eg. once a week week or once every 10 days etc) allow for a dry out of roots and pot. That can/may help cut down on certain issues like unwanted things growing (or growing too much) in the pot.

[Orchidking]

I've seen some weird mutations on some hybrids, it is a strong plant wanting to pump out lots of flowers though.

What happened was that the plant was going to branch into two branches but those branches stayed fused together creating twice as many flower clusters.

I've had 2 flowers fused together before but on your plant it looks like you possibly have 1 flower with 3 flowers fused into 1.

[tedro]

Originally Posted by Orchidking

I've seen some weird mutations on some hybrids, it is a strong plant wanting to pump out lots of flowers though.

What happened was that the plant was going to branch into two branches but those branches stayed fused together creating twice as many flower clusters.

I've had 2 flowers fused together before but on your plant it looks like you possibly have 1 flower with 3 flowers fused into 1.

Attachment 141206

thank you. yes, i’m most curious about the late, as i understand it “rare, bonus branch”. )
a while back, before i found this board, a grower told me it was a keiki, wrong!
before that i HAD seen the attached image — which actually includes what it labels “bonus... NEW... not common.”
NOBODY knew, never saw it, and i lucked-out finding this image 2 months ago. ) also, i don’t have nor used any “paste.”

[tedro]

ok, here is what i did. just fyi. (see attached images).
i keep the orchid inside, on the floor, next to my always closed lanai glass sliding door.
when the sunsets i move it up under this lamp, that i got a new high lumens, no heat, bulb for. I put white paper on top, the bulb points up. see images.
I leave it there until midnight, sometimes longer, and sometimes the lamp gets turned off for an hour, snd sometimes it gets turned off and back off quickly when to for my occasional, almost always, video photo taking in the same room (nothing professional, just old man in his room doing stuff).
then i put in back on floor in front of glass door again before morning.

first few weeks was my old standard 60watt bulb. i decided to keep it up, but with this new bulb. i coulda got a lamp that bends and pointed/reflected the bulb at it better, but i didn’t. ... i did this from day 1. this new multi-branch with 20 buds only began itself after all flowers were nearly gone, 2 were left (original photo of flowers included).

ALSO, from viewing the original/early photo (shows flowers — not where i keep the plant— color is filtered/not true), you can tell where i trimmed it a bit... i kinda think the trimming of the nearby branch may have launched the “un common bonus.”

one last true colors photo included. — I bought it because it had all these arms look sticking out, some (2?) bent 90°, looked like a stick man or scarecrow. Of all the hundreds of orchids none of the others had or looked anything like that. they’re all One or two main flower spikes with blooms.