How It Works
Keiki Star stimulates orchids (and many other plants!) to produce new shoots — also called “keikis” from the Hawaiian word for “baby”. These keikis are genetically identical to the mother plant, which means that you can clone your prized orchid plants to give as a gift, sell to another orchid junkie, or simply make a “backup” copy in case an infection or your cat kills the original.
Plants usually “know” when it’s time to make a new keiki , typically after bloom is finished. But many plants are simply lazy, stubborn, or too old (just like humans) and need a swift kick in the pseudobulb to get them going. Keiki Power Pro gives them that swift kick. It is a jolt of plant hormone that gets them out of their lazy rut and forces them to DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE!
Keiki paste is a cytokinin hormone which induces growth in the node of a Phalaenopsis inflorescence. It should not be confused with paste or powder containing auxins, which are used to force the production of roots.
Nodes on Phalaenopsis spikes will form either vegetative growth (keiki) or floral growth (a branch with flower buds).
If the node tissue is already differentiated so that it will become a floral branch, there is no way to change the result. The trick is to get the paste onto the node before it is differentiated. However, there is no way to predict if an undifferentiated node will become a keiki or a floral branch.
Removing Keikis
If a new plant is desired, the keiki should be left on the mother plant until it develops a healthy root system and has two or three leaves(for a Phalaenopsis) or canes (Dendrobium). At this point, it can be carefully removed with a sharp knife and planted in its own pot.
Keikis are cut below and above the stem, leaving a small piece of stem on the baby plant. A separated keiki can be expected to flower in approximately the same amount of time it would take for the cross or species to flower from a seedling. Some species orchids like Phal pulchra keiki frequently and flower while still attached to the mother plant. If a new plant is not desired, the keiki can be removed at any time. Removing the entire inflorescence after flowering is complete can prevent the production of keikis and result in a “tidier” appearance for the plant.