Question about pollination

[Jeff9]

Hi all,

I have attempted to pollinate various times, but i just dont seem to get it right, last time i tried on Maxillaria Cuculata.

I have heared alot about selfing, what does it actually mean and what is upside or downside to selfing a plant?

When you pollinate the flower, do you use the pollinia from the same flower, or do you need two flowers to make it work.

Any additional information will be welcome,

Thanks

[PaphMadMan]

Selfing is simply using pollen from the same plant instead of from a different plant. Whether the pollen is from the same flower or a different flower on the same plant doesn't matter.

The possible upsides to selfing are being able to propagate a rare plant if no other is available, possibly maintaining or enhancing the good traits of an exceptional plant in the next generation, or if the plant is a hybrid you might get lucky and come up with a better combination of the traits of its parents.

The downside is that any bad traits are just as likely to be maintained or enhanced, not just appearance but health and vigor too, and you lose genetic diversity which is eventually a dead end in terms of breeding.

As far as why your attempts have not been successful... Are you sure you understand the anatomy of the orchid flower and getting the pollen to the stigma of the flower? Are you possibly using flowers that are getting too old? Is the plant really strong enough to carry a seed pod?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Maxillarias don't normally self. You need to "trick" them into selfing.

Use your saliva as a dip.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by PaphMadMan

Are you sure you understand the anatomy of the orchid flower and getting the pollen to the stigma of the flower? Are you possibly using flowers that are getting too old? Is the plant really strong enough to carry a seed pod?

Those are good points too.

[Jeff9]

Yes i do believe i did it correctly, but i will keep trying.

If you have any good high resolution photos in a tutorial it would help, but i am pretty sure i am putting them in correctly

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

YouTube - Orchid Hand Pollination 2

YouTube - Orchid Hand Pollination 3