What Is an Orchid Keiki & How Do I Care for It?

Orchids sometimes sprout baby plants, or keikis, from their flower stems. Literally translated, “keiki” is Hawaiian for “the little one” -- and that’s just what keikis are. They’re little orchid plants.

Why are Keikis Produced?
Mature orchids may produce keikis for a variety of reasons. For instance, some genera, such as phalaenopsis and dendrobium orchids, are prone to create keikis. Many times, however, keikis are created when an orchid is stressed. If an orchid is dying, asexually producing a keiki may be its best chance at passing on its genes.

Because keikis are produced asexually, without pollination, each keiki is genetically identical to its mother plant. Once mature, they’ll have the same flowers as the mother plant.

How Do You Identify Keikis?
Keikis look like little plants growing on the stem of a parent plant. On phalaenopsis orchids, they usually occur on the nodes along the stem. On dendrobiums, they’re typically at the end of the cane, which is where the hormones necessary to produce a keiki accumulate.

What Do You Do with Keikis?
If you recognize a keiki growing on one of your orchids, the first thing you should do is check the health of the mother plant. Because keikis are often induced by stress, a new keiki may be a sign that your orchid isn’t doing well. You ought to check all of the plants conditions, but there are two specific things to pay attention to:

• is the temperature too high (especially for phalaenopsis orchids)?
• is the orchid receiving too little light?

After checking the health of the mother plant, decide whether you want to keep the keiki. Keikis will eventually grow into a completely separate orchid, but they draw resources away from the mother plant. Some growers let the keiki mature, while others remove it so that the mother plant can thrive.

To remove a keiki, simply cut it off with a sharp, sterile blade. To prevent more keikis from forming, you may want to cut back the mother orchid’s spikes after they’re done blooming. Sprinkle cinnamon, which is a natural fungicide, on any open wounds after cutting.

If you’d like to keep the keiki and nurture it into a mature orchid, follow these steps:

1. Leave the keiki on the mother plant until its roots are 1 to 3 inches long, and it has a small shoot and a couple of leaves.
2. Once the keiki meets the above criteria, separate it from the mother orchid by cutting 1 to 2 inches down the spike of the mother orchid. (The keiki’s roots will remain wrapped around the spike, but the section of spike the keiki is on should now be separated from the mother plant.)
3. Sprinkle the open wounds on the flower spike with cinnamon to fight fungal infection.
4. Replant the keiki in a separate pot, which should have fresh potting mix. Direct the keiki’s roots downward and use the spike to anchor the baby orchid.
5. Write a separate label for the keiki so you remember its pedigree. Some growers like to numerically label it as well (with the #2) to track the keikis.
6. Protect the keiki from direct sunlight and mist it regularly. Keikis need less light and higher humidity than mature orchids.

Growing a keiki is a lot of fun! It may take your keiki one to three years to bloom, but you’ll eventually have an orchid that you grew yourself from the time it was “the little one.” To learn more about how to care for your keiki, or to learn about general orchid care, visit www.EasyOrchidGrowing.com. Happy Blooming!

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