Seedpods...do they detract from next season's flowering?

[Claire25]

Hi all,

I have an Encyclia hybrid that surprised me by producing two seedpods after being apparently pollinated by some wasps while summering on my porch. It's been interesting to watch these two pods swell even as the other flowers have all died and fallen, but I really have no intention of trying to harvest seed from it in the future (can't even be 100% as to the parentage of the seed, though it is probably a selfing). So, would it be worth it, for interest's sake, to leave the pods to develop over the next several months? Or would doing so just sap my plant's strength for its summer flowering next year?

Thanks for any advice,
Claire

[glengary54]

In my opinion, if you are not interested in the seed pods you should remove them. I don't know if they will have an effect on next years flowering or not but they definately are a drain on the mother plant.

[flhiker]

good question, looking forward to the answers you get. I leave them, they look natural and I'm all about natural.

[camille1585]

I'm just going to make some assumptions... Growing seed pods does need energy, so I would think that blooming would be affected afterwards. But what about plants in the wild? A lot will have seed pods nearly every year I assume, and yet they are still alive and bloom most years. So maybe the plants know what their doing.

Could be wrong though, hopefully someone with first hand experience will tell us.

[PaphMadMan]

I know you will get some advice to the contrary, but a healthy mature plant that is growing well under your conditions and care should hardly be affected at all by a couple seed pods. If you will enjoy just watching the pods develop I see no reason not to do it.

I wouldn't go beyond that to flask the seed though. It just isn't worth the expense and time for seed of uncertain parentage. Do a controlled pollination if you have an interesting in taking the next step.