NoID Phal. recovering from crown rot

[Salixx]

Hi all

This might seem like a silly question, but I'll ask anyway.

I have a particular Phal that's been with me for a very long time... probably somewhere around 13 years. It's only bloomed a handful of times for me, one of which was last year. I was excited, since it is one of the first orchids I ever acquired and it's been so hesitant to bloom. Then, disaster struck not long after the last blooms faded. The top leaves started to wilt. I'm a forgetful gardener, some might say even neglectful, so I naively though it needed more water. When the top, newly growing leaf yellowed and died, I knew I was in trouble and, sure enough, most of the other leaves followed suit as the crown rot became even more evident. I was always careful when watering not to allow water to pool in the leaves, but I suspect from overflow from another plant hanging above it might have been the culprit.

To my relief, the phal survived. The bottom most leaf is still alive, fleshy and intact and it shot a keiki of from its base shortly after I got the rot under control and vigorously grew from there. This is where my question starts. Firstly, the leaf from the old, main plant is still there- I've left it in hopes of it still providing for the newer offshoot. It is making the keiki grow a little funny- the leaves are slightly whorled instead of bilateral-like growth of leaves growing opposite each other. I don't really care if the plant is a little weird looking, but am I right in leaving the old leaf attached until it dies on its own? Or should I remove it now?

I was also wondering how long, after an event such as crown rot, it might take the plant to bloom again? The keiki is almost as big as the original plant was at the time the rot started, but I'm worried it will now be almost another decade before I'm allowed to see blooms again since it was already a reluctant bloomer.

Edit: typo

[WhiteRabbit]

I'd probably leave the leaf - I don't think it can hurt anything.

My one crown rotted Phal (rotted down to just a brown nub) quickly got new growth, but it's been 7 years, and it hasn't bloomed (I think I'm giving it one more year). My experience may not be the usual, tho - hopefully others will be chiming in.

[No-Pro-mwa]

I have a keiki that grew off a flower spike from the mother plant and bloomed while still attached. I finally removed it as the roots were long and way to heavy. I potted it too deep in the pot and it got rot from the bottom up. It seems like it took a while to die as at first I tried to cut it out. It started another keiki after it totally rotted. I know I have a thread some where on here about it but I am not sure I can find it.

Ok I went to try and find pictures. I did find that the rot started in August of 2013. I know I took pictures when the new keiki started but I can't find them. Any way it is putting up a spike now. A bit behind most of my phals and the mother plant is blooming now. The keiki's spike is no way near to opening. I hope this helps.

[Salixx]

It does help, thank you =). Looks like I might be waiting a while, but that's okay. It's my fault to begin with.

[No-Pro-mwa]

I found the thread about my keiki. It's in the beginners section. I posted on it so it will be nearer the top. It's called.... I think I'm killing my keiki.

[gngrhill]

I had a Phal with crown rot that formed a basal keiki . I removed the keiki when it had roots and potted it up and it bloomed in 2 years