Dendrobium Phalaenopsis: Spike or Keiki?

[adam123]

Hello everyone,
One of my dendrobiums has just finished maturing a new pseudobulb, and seems to have gone into spike. However, I continued watering it normally until I found out that watering too much during spike formation could provoke keikis and not flowers. The problem now is that I can't tell if the new "growth" is a keiki or a flower spike… Can anyone help me or is it too early to tell?
I don't know if you can see on the photos, but it looks to me like the "spike" is starting to split as if it's growing leaves… It's no big deal having a keiki, but I'd really rather see it flower!
Thanks!

[RosieC]

If it's a Den Phalanthe type (that's what it looks like from the picture) then fertiliser during spike formation probably doesn't matter.

I've never cut back fertiliser with that type of Dendrobium (Dendrobium is a very large genus with a lot of variety).

The spike looks about normal to me, I've seen that slight splitting before on them and it's just nodes forming on the spike in my experience.

[lostonthebeach]

I agree with RosieC. It looks like a spike but dens have fooled me before.

[WhiteRabbit]

Looks like a keiki to me, but I could be wrong as well - it's still quite small, and hard to tell.

Nobile types, and a few other Dens that require a dryish winter rest, will get keikis instead of spikes if they get fert and/or too much water during the winter rest period. This does not pertain to Den-phals tho. Mine get plenty of water and fert all spring and summer; spiking now, tho do have at least one keiki that started around the same time as the spikes.

So, if this is a keiki rather than a spike, it's not likely due to any fertilizing error on your part.

[Orquiadicto]

From the place it's growing, I'd say it's a spike. Mine are growing spikes on the same spot (between the upper leaves).
Just my two cents.


This one was a bit neglected but has the biggest spike.

[adam123]

Thanks again for all your answers. I thought I'd post a quick follow-up because it was indeed a spike and the dendrobium is in flower right now. I'm quite pleased because the flowers seem larger than last year and their color more intense, and I always find it hard reblooming orchids in my apartment. I did however notice some new growths on two of the older pseudobulbs. At first I thought they were going to bloom as well, but one of them is growing from a peculiar spot on the PB so I was wondering... Could this be a keiki?

[Lagoon]

Ooh its a beautiful velvet red, gorgeous!!
Dens can bloom a number of times on the same cane, even the older canes can rebloom while new flowers arise with the newer strong canes. Pretty neat!

Looks like a spike to me

[Susie11]

That is a gorgeous Den. I love the colour. Where did you get it from if I may ask?

[adam123]

It is indeed a gorgeous dendrobium! It's also quite exciting, because even though it's a young plant with around 5 PB, it's soon going to be flowering on 3 of them!
If I remember correctly, I picked it up at a local garden centre here in Southern France...