Keiki paste is a plant hormone product growers dab onto a dormant node. It pushes that node toward becoming a keiki instead of another flower. The active ingredient is usually a cytokinin called benzylaminopurine, or BAP, in a lanolin base.
This guide explains how keiki paste works and how to apply it. For what a keiki is and how to remove one, see our guide to orchid keikis. For methods that skip hormones entirely, see our guide to propagating orchids.
Orchids sometimes grow keikis on their own, without any product involved. Stressed or older Phalaenopsis plants are especially prone to this. A dab of paste simply raises the odds on a spike that would otherwise just dry up.
What Keiki Paste Does to a Dormant Node
Every node on a Phalaenopsis spike sits under a small papery bract. That node can become a flower branch, a keiki, or nothing at all. Cytokinin hormones override apical dominance, the signal that keeps side buds dormant.
Once a node absorbs enough cytokinin, it commits to growing leaves and roots. This is a real hormonal shift, not a nutrition or light trick. Extra fertilizer or light on the same spike will not do this.
The lanolin base matters more than growers expect. Plain water based cytokinin would run down a vertical spike within minutes. Lanolin holds the hormone against the node long enough for it to absorb.
Applying the Paste to a Phalaenopsis Spike
Pick a node about a third of the way down a spent spike. Choose one that has not already bloomed or branched. This node choice rule matters more than how much paste you use.
Use a clean blade to nick the papery bract covering the node. Removing the bract exposes the green growing point underneath. A spike with some green left gives the best odds.
Apply a dab about the size of a match head onto the node. More paste does not mean a better result. Excess paste can sit on the tissue and cause browning instead.
Timing also matters. Wait until the last flower on that spike has dropped before treating a lower node. Treating a node while the spike is still actively blooming rarely produces a keiki.
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Most growers use a premeasured commercial paste instead of mixing their own. rePotme KeikiGrow Plus is a standard choice for keiki paste. It ships as a small tube of cytokinin paste in a lanolin base.
Which Orchids Respond Best
Phalaenopsis spikes are the most reliable target for this treatment. Dendrobium canes respond well too, once they drop their leaves. Epidendrum stems follow a similar node structure and often respond.
Dendrobium nobile and similar deciduous canes tend to form keikis at old leaf nodes. This can happen naturally during a cool, dry rest period. Paste simply speeds up a response the plant is already primed for.
Cattleya behaves differently, since its growth runs through underground rhizomes. Paste applied to a Cattleya pseudobulb usually fails to trigger a keiki. Any new growth that appears is typically a normal lead break instead.
Oncidium and Vanda are not common targets for this technique. Their growth habits do not match the node pattern this hormone relies on. Stick to Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, and Epidendrum for the best odds.
Timeline: From Application to Separation
| Stage | Typical timing | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Day 0 | Match head dab on the exposed, nicked node |
| Early response | Week 2 to 4 | Slight swelling or greening at the node |
| Visible growth | Week 4 to 8 | First tiny leaves emerge from the node |
| Root development | Month 3 to 6 | Roots appear at the keiki base |
| Ready to separate | Month 6 to 12 | Roots reach 2 to 3 inches, 2 to 3 leaves present |
Success Rate and Honest Failure Modes
Keiki paste does not work on every node it touches. Growers report that roughly half of treated nodes show any response. Results vary widely between plants and even between spikes on the same plant.
A node that has already committed to flowering will not switch over. No amount of paste changes that outcome.
Most guides skip the node choice rule entirely. They tell readers to apply paste anywhere on the spike. Picking the wrong node is the most common reason treatment fails.
Other failure modes include using too much paste at once. Treating a spike that is more brown than green rarely works. Once a spike fully dries, the tissue underneath is dead.
A second attempt is worth trying if the first node fails. Pick a different node further down the same spike. Give each attempt a full 8 weeks before deciding it failed.
Is This the Same as Cloning an Orchid?
Growers often search for how to clone orchids. The honest answer is that a keiki really is a clone. It forms from the parent plant’s own cells, so the genetics match exactly.
This differs from lab cloning through tissue culture. Tissue culture multiplies thousands of identical plants from tiny tissue samples. Keiki paste simply nudges one bud toward becoming one new plant.
So when growers describe cloning orchids at home, they usually mean this exact process. No lab, sterile flasks, or tissue samples are involved. Just a dormant node, a dab of hormone, and time.
Homemade Paste Warnings
Some growers mix their own paste from bulk cytokinin powder and lanolin. The risk is concentration control, since bulk powder is far stronger than finished paste. A measuring error can burn the node instead of waking it.
Commercial products list a fixed concentration right on the label. That removes most of the guesswork for a first attempt. Save homemade mixing for growers with scales and real experience.
A burned node will not recover and try again later. The tissue underneath simply dies at that spot. That is a high cost for saving a few dollars on paste.
When to Separate a Keiki From the Parent Spike
Patience matters more than timing tricks here. Wait until the keiki grows its own roots, at least 2 to 3 inches long. It should also have two or three leaves of its own.
That point usually falls between 6 and 12 months after treatment. Cut the spike about an inch on either side of the keiki. Use a sterile blade and dust the cut ends with cinnamon.
Pot the new plantlet in a small container with fine bark or moss. Treat it like a young seedling until it settles in. Keep humidity high for the first few weeks after the move.
Separating too early is the single biggest mistake growers make here. A keiki with roots under an inch long often fails to establish. Waiting an extra month or two costs nothing and improves the odds.
Once separated, the new plant follows the same rules as any young orchid. For tips on reblooming that parent plant, see our guide on how to get an orchid to rebloom. If you started from a cut piece instead, our guide on growing orchids from cuttings covers that approach.
Our guide to the orchid flower spike explains spike anatomy in more detail.
Sources
- American Orchid Society: Orchid Care, general FAQ including keiki formation on flower spikes. https://www.aos.org/orchids/orchid-care.aspx
- American Orchid Society: Orchids 101, basic orchid biology and growth habit reference. https://www.aos.org/orchids/orchids-101
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Orchid Care visual guides, Phalaenopsis and Cattleya repotting and growth habit reference. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/visual-guides/orchid-care
- University of Wisconsin Horticulture Extension: Orchid care guide, spike and bloom cycle reference. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/orchid/
Frequently asked questions
How long does keiki paste take to work?
Most growers see swelling at the node in 2 to 4 weeks. Visible leaf growth usually follows by week 6 to 8. Some nodes take longer, and some never respond at all.
Can you use keiki paste on Cattleya?
Rarely with success. Cattleya tends to push a new growth from the rhizome instead of a keiki. Paste works best on Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium canes, and Epidendrum stems.
Is a keiki really a clone of the parent orchid?
Yes. A keiki forms from the parent plant's own tissue, so it carries identical genetics. That differs from lab cloning through tissue culture, which multiplies plants on a much larger scale.
Does keiki paste work on a dead or brown spike?
No. The node needs to be green and firm under the bract. A dry, brown spike has no living tissue left to respond to the hormone.
How many times can you apply keiki paste to the same node?
Most labels suggest one application per node, with a second dab after several weeks if nothing has happened. Repeated heavy applications risk burning the tissue instead of helping it.