Pollinating a fasciated dendrobium for seed pod and flasking
So I have this weird fasciated orchid that I'm wondering if I can reproduce. It consists of a four anther caps, three in a row across the top, and one at the bottom (pic 1). All orignated from the same bud/sepals (pic 2). Upon closer inspection, what appears to have happened is that the bottom one is the primary bloom, while three other secondary blooms emerged under the main bloom's dorsal sepal; you cans see the stemp of the secondary blooms in pic 3.
This is a such a cool phenomenon that I'm hoping to reproduce it. I am a complete novice at orchid propogation, but I've read on Reddit that "Each set of petals and sepals is controlled by its own set of genetic blueprints."
My novice assumption is that if I can get a seed pod from this fasciated bloom, I can send it in to seed flasking at a lab, and then have "stable" versions of this bloom. I've successfully produced seed pods on phals before (out of pure curiosity), I just never tried to reproduce the pods.
Several questions for the experts out there:
- any fatal flaws in my novice assumptions above? I know nothing about plant genetics.
- which bloom's pollinia needs to be inserted into which bloom's stigma? Pollen from secondary bloom into stigma or primary bloom? Vice versa? Between this fasciated bloom and a regular bloom on the same flower spike?
- It's been about a week since the bloom opened. Is now the right time to pollinated?
- whick flasking services do you recommends? There are many out there and I have no idea which one is "better". I'm in U.S. Midwest if that's relevant.
- If everything goes as planned and I receive the flask, are baby dendrobiums hard to care for? Or are they not so different from adult dendrobiums?
Some other relevant notes:
- No idea regarding ID, this was a supermarket find from back in 2020. I suspect Dendrobium burana from color and shape, and the fact that at least one seller out there has a D. burana fasciated variety (D. burana Sunshine Peony)
- Looks like 1 seed pod/1 flask is about $35 at a lab, which I think it's reasonable. I'm assuming it's normal to only ask for one flask?
- I have no interest in making money or competing or whatever with this. It just looks cool and if with a bit of time and money I can keep enjoying this mutation, then it's a fun experiment.
- Posted this on Reddit, and folks there said Orchid Board might have more experts, so here I am! Thanks in advance!
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