Sediera/Phalaenopsis japonica Minmaru Hybrids?
 

Are any breeders experimenting with creating more hybrids with Phal japonica? Specifically, I’m interested with the Minmaru type. Phals.net doesn’t list many primary hybrids. I think it’d be awesome to have some cool temperature tolerant micro phal hybrids, if its small size could be inherited. I haven’t grown Minmaru myself, but it’s definitely at the top of my wishlist.

Or are there other species better suited for creating mini phals (small plant size)?

Get to work! I see fame in your future!

I wonder if anybody has made Phal (Vandopirea) Little one using the Minmaru form of Phal (Sedirea) japonica. I have what the hybrid (and both parent species), I would suspect that the standard Sedirea japonica was used. But it's still a modest-sized plant which is nice since the other parent, Phal. hygrochila (Hygrochilus/Vandopsis parishii) is big. Clearly this group of plants is a taxonomic hot mess. Both parents got lumped into Phalaenopsis. I know that monotypic genera tend to get lumped, by why Phalanopsis and not Vanda beats me. DNA must be driving that, certainly not morphology. All 3 look more like Vandas to me. Anyhow, however one wants to classify these, Little One grows cool - on my patio - as do both parents. They're all in spike, so I look forward to showing the family in a month or 6 weeks.

Seems like a lot of trouble to acquire a Minmaru, wait for it to bloom, then make the crosses myself. How well does pollen ship in the mail? Any chance I could ask someone to ship me pollen, then use it on a bunch of random grocery store phals? Guess it’s be years and lots of money and luck before I’d see any results, assuming that the crosses take.

I think that pollen is pretty easy to mail. I wouldn't waste it on grocery store phals. I'm not so sure that Sedirea japonica even breeds well with the "standard Phals". The fact that it is now classified as a "Phal" doesn't change the genetics. I looked it up in Orchidwiz, where I can se the F1 progeny listed. There are a few hybrids that have been done with Phal species, and a very few with hybrids. There's only one with a "standard type" Phal (x philippinensis) ... with a photo, ugly! Most of the registered crosses have been with Vandas or Vanda relatives. Don't waste your time making hybrids with "mutts".

You don't learn unless you try.

True. Worth doing with one's own plants. Don't think that I'd advocate asking someone else for pollen (taking which makes a flower fade) for a "shotgun wedding".

If you asked a month ago I would have had minmaru shima pollen for you (although I do not believe the variegation is inheritable)

of course we r total amateur breeders, but last summer there were about 15 or so attempts made with various standard phals (mostly species) and japonica (standard form) and we had no pollination occur. i know that is a small sample size, but decided it wasn't worth trying anymore!

but then everyone said you couldn't breed with phal mini mark because it is 3N (possibly), yet after years of trying the breeders at Lucke got one to work which they have for sale on their site. soooo, i guess if at first you don't succeed, try try again!

also, yeah, personally i would not breed with grocery phals cause the chances of others wanting the plants beside you is much lower. but if is just for your own curiosity, who is to stop you?! good luck!

Maybe, calling japonica a "Phal" doesn't necessarily make it one...it may not be genetically compatible with the "always been Phalaenopsis" Phals or at least not all sections of them.