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[INDOOR-GARDENING:143] Re: orchids

FYI:

"Keiki" is, I believe, a Hawaiian word meaning 'baby', that was adopted by
the orchid community to describe a plantlet that grows from a flower stem
spontaneously.  It can also apply to plantlets that form on other unusual
parts of the plant, for instance, an upper section of a pseudobulb on
dendrobiums (have long, canelike, & sectioned pseudobulbs).  You're prob.
familiar with the nutrients, but to expand on that, when the plant
initiates a flower spike, as it develops, it will create several plantlets
in place of flowers if given too much nitrogen.  However, not all orchids
can or will do this under normal circumstances.  Producing keikis is also
a stress response, notably when roots are rotting.

I guess I should explain what a pseudobulb is, just in case.  The
pseudobulb is a structure posessed by some, but not all, orchids that is
basically a very fleshy stem structure.  Generally, the leaves are borne
on top of the bulb.  It is also called a pseudopod.

Hope this helps!  :}
Julia

On Fri, 12 Feb 1999 ECPep@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 2/9/99 1:22:41 AM Eastern Standard Time, Batyal@aol.com
> writes:
> 
> << By the way, I have found that those orchids which make keikis readily
> should
>  only be given high phosphorus fertilizers as high nitrogen promotes many
>  keikis and not so much bloom. >>
> 
> Hi Batya,
> 
> I know you would not mind explaining this sentence to indoor gardeners with
> little orchid growing experience.  That would be amongst others, me.
> 
> Claire Peplowski
> East Nassau,NY 
> z4
> 
>
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