Distorted Phalaenopsis spike growth

I have sometimes come across a spike that has "wedged" it's way inside a leaf, and I have found that this most often happens with oncididum hybrids when they are under watered. This is the first time I have seen a distorted spike on a phal...guess there is always a first!
I am hoping the growing spike will eventually find which way is "up", I gave it room to maneuver by slicing away a piece of leaf that it was wedged against. I also placed the spike facing the window so that it is encouraged to grow towards the light.

Dendrobium nobile flower bud

Whoa!! After weeks of thinking the new growth on my white/pink Dendrobium nobile were dreaded kikeis (offshoots), I am now pretty certain that these are buds inside the sheath! Have a look ...

Here is what the "mama" plant looks like in bloom:

Ever wondered what a developing orchid flower spike looks like?

I get frequent emails and message inquiring about orchid spikes and how to care for them. So, I thought I'd take a series of photos showing the development of my Adaglossum orchid flower spike.

You can see the first picture, the emerging spike just in between the leaves.

 In this photo below, the individual buds have started to swell, and the arrangement of the buds looks somewhat like a braid!

Now we can see a much taller spike, with the individual buds clearly separated on the stalk as they continue to develop inside.

And finally some blooms!! This orchid is Adaglossum "Summit Frenchtown"

 

Miltonidium "Issaku Nagata"

What is not to love??!?!  Tall stunning sprays of abundant and fragrant flowers adorn this mid sized orchid. And the blooms are long lasting to boot!

I call it my orchid "Christmas tree" as the branching arrangement of the flowers resembles a shimmering pyramidal shaped evergreen fir.  But of course, one could let the spike gracefully arch to one side too.

Emerging flower spike on hybrid orchid plant

I thought I'd share what a flower spike looks like when it just starts to emerge from the base of the bulb, nestled inside a few sets of leaves. Sometimes, when the bulbs aren't mature enough or have not received enough light or fertilizer to initiate budding, we only get a new growth instead of a flower spike.

When orchids are small and growing, I will often pot several plants together. This orchid should be Adaglossum Summit "Frenchtown" unless I mixed the tags!  Keep watching for an update of this plant with her blooms!