Orchid Pollination

[Jeffery]

I tried something I never done before, I pollinated 2 Orchids, they are older flowers so I had no probleam with it, going by my pics, how did I do? and if successfull what can I expect to see?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Did you do a selfing of a hybrid?

Hybrids are usually sterile and have a hard time selfing. Don't be surprised if it doesn't take.

Occasionally, a few hybrids can self.

So, as far as whether this pollination attempt will come to fruition, idk. I'd say most likely not (it's not definitive).

But for the sake of whether or not you put the pollinia in the stigmatic opening - I think you did. The stigmatic opening should close up in a few days.

Let's say that it does take...

Just wait for about 8 months to a year, a month past a year at the most.

[fiskio]

hi to everyody....
i've done my first impollination in an hybrid of phalaenopsis last month... i think it's true what has been wrote by king of orchid growing reguarding the sterility of an hybrid plant such as an hybrid animal (let's think to a mule....)!!...
in spite of this, since i've cross the pollen with the ovary i've got started to a sequence of changes in the morfology of the flower that i've never expected....
now petals and sepals are dried up.... but the style is very green and also the centre of the flower is green....
good luck to me....

[orchidsamore]

In the future you should always pollenate with new flowers before the pollen and seed become dried out.

[Jeffery]

The first flower was a little dried out, but the 2nd one wasen't quite as old, when I did pollinate, I crossed those 2 flower, putting the seed of 1 in the stigmatic opening of the other. Me thinks the 1st was a hybrid, I am not sure about the 2nd.

[Cym Ladye]

Technically, pollen is pollen, not seed. Seed is what you would hope to get from a successful pollination.

CL

[Royal]

I think there is some confusion here concerning the fertility of hybrids. Hybrids are not sterile. If hybrids were sterile, then there would be no breeding past primary hybrids. Hybrids are bred with hybrids all the time with great success, and at an amazing rate. Just check out the latest Sander's List of all the Phal hybrids registered in the last couple of months.

Sterility becomes an issue with aneuploid plants, those with an uneven number of sets of genetic material. All naturally ocuring Phal species (except one) have two sets of genes - one from each parent (2n or diploid). But many modern lines have double the chromosomes (4n or tetraploid). If a diploid is crossed with a tetraploid, the resulting plant would be triploid and have sterile pollen. Triploids can (unfortunately) be used as the seed parent, making matters worse. Although triploids are out there in droves, odds are that any particular plant is either 2n or 4n, and therefore perfectly fertile.

Long story short: just because two plants can breed, doesn't mean they should. If you're getting into breeding, learn the basics of ploidy to avoid creating more breeding dead-ends.

All that being said, some species and their offspring can be reluctant breeders requiring perfect conditions to commit to growing a capsule. Some won't breed until they're all grown up. Some will breed like crazy. If a cross doesn't take it may just not have been ready to put energy into making seed. Just my two cents.

[Royal]

Any news, Jeffery?

[Jeffery]

Hi there!! will...hahaha. I moved back to Minnesota this July, got rid of all my Orchids...I had no room in my car, it was enough to make me want to cry to get rid of all those beautiful plants, but today I started my new collection I will post later.

[RosieC]

What a shame you had to get rid of them. I'm not sure I could part with mine. Glad you are starting out again with new ones though.