Question
How do I tell the difference between an air root and a new flower sprout? My phal has a sprout between two leaves above where the last flower spike was, so I think it's a flower, and it's heading upward, but it looks more like an air root than the spike that holds new flowers. Yet it's odd that it's heading upward by itself. Can you clarify for me? Thanks.

Answer
Deb, an air root, when in active growth, has a green growing tip behind which is a white velamin or root covering. It is more common for an aerial root to emerge between sets of leaves than for a flower spike.  The best guess is that it is an aerial root but be patient.  Time will give you a more definite answer.