If they came pre-staked, why mess with them? Especially if you are not sure.
Isn't safer just to leave them alone, enjoy the flowers and simply ignore the stake? There is no concern regarding the spike snapping if you leave it alone.
Next bloom, do what you will.

I'm with Bill, leave it with the stake until these blooms are finished. Then you can safely remove the stake and let the stem bend over as it's naturally meant to do. If it branches and puts out new buds, the flowers will open facing outwards so you can see them.

Also if you are meaning to re-pot or mount the orchid when it finishes blooming, be sure to place it with the leaves hanging downwards so they don't catch water in the 'cup'. This causes crown rot and can kill the plant. They grow naturally with the leaves facing out and downwards in a fan.

Sbarr...table the stake/don't stake debate for a minute...are those ice cubes I'm seeing in the pots? NO debate about that...ice cubes are NOT the way to water ANY orchid, no matter what the marketing gurus say!

Don't we have a sticky about phals?

Yep...Phal sticky at the very TOP of the orchids forum!

Annnnd...WELCOME to the 'family' Sbarr!

We do have a sticky, and we all agree ice cubes are a no- no. Tropical plants never receive ice water in their habitat. I sure don't ever stick my feet in ice water if I can help it.

Y'all have good eyes. I never would have even noticed the ice cubes. I focus on the question and sort of have blinders to anything else in the photo(s).

Good catch Patty, how did we all miss that???

Perhaps we need a notation in the sticky box, all in caps, NEVER WATER WITH ICE CUBES! Guess an explanation would be in order also but first we need to catch the eyes. Maybe it should even be in red.

Will do tonight!

You could place that note a million times in a million places and it will not matter one iota!
When you have printed directions, be it on a culture sheet or a plant label, people read it as gospel. It is the result of today's "I want it now Society". Nobody wants to do any work. No research. Everything needs to be handed to them.
You won't be able to change one single mind about ice cubes. In the last 15 years, I must have been confronted by that single point over a thousand times. Over 90% of those "cube heads" believe it because it was written somewhere and they read it. If they read it, it must be the truth. AND it was very hard work on my part to convince the other 10% why it was a bad idea. Once in a while I made some head way with a few of the other group but sure enough they would revert back to if I read it, it has to be the truth.
I now invoke my Fathers favorite expression, " my mind is made up, don't confuse me with the facts!"
It is best to just forget that these dolts exist!

It never hurts to try, Bill. There are many who believe this site is the gospel, and this is a step toward research.

Oh I know. It always pays to try but for me personally, it won't stop them from asking!
I still answer the question every time they ask. It is not in my nature to ignore the question or to make fun of those who ask it.
I just would not bother putting the notation in our threads. When the question is asked, we just deal with it.

The "no ice -thread" is up! Feel free to vent!
I had added code to make it in red, but that didn't come through!

Thanks Ursula, can't hurt and if only one mind is changed it is worth it.

Hey ladies. I posted in the new sticky the reasons why you don't water with ice cubes.
These comments that I posted came from an article in Orchids Magazine by a Phalaenopsis expert. I sincerely hope that they add to the sticky.

We can always hope some will pay attention when they see the reasons. Good job Ursula and Bill

You bet. Like was said, if we reach just one.