Propagate a Phal.?

[Queenslander]

Have a beautiful Phal. Would like to try to propagate from this orchid. What do I do? New to Orchid Board.

[Rosiefuture]

Hi Queenslander, welcome to the OB. I'm right over the other side from you in Perth.

Ok, right in the middle of the bloom is the anther cap, it looks like a little nose. With tweezers you remove this cap and inside you should see two tiny yellow sacs called the pollinia. These are what you use to pollinate another bloom.

If you are going to self pollinate your orchid then remove the anther caps from two blooms. Attached to the pollinia is a tiny sticky tab(the viscidium), gently pick them up on a toothpick by this tab. Push them into the column behind where the anther cap was. There are two tiny little tooth shaped things called denticulae and these are there to hold the pollinia to help polinate the stigma.

If the pollination has been successful you will, over the next day or two, see the flower begin to wither and die. The flower won't fall off yet and you will notice the column that you placed the pollinia in will start to swell. Behind the bloom you will also see swelling as the seed pod (capsule) starts to form.

Hope this helps, I'm sure some of the others will chip in too to give more advice.

[WhiteRabbit]

there are products designed to initiate keikis - they aren't cheap, but very little is needed.
I have read, but don't know the particulars, that you can mix rooting hormone with lanolin as a keiki paste.

[Queenslander]

Thanks Marion. I was more thinking of Keiki paste. I don't think I have the patience for seed propagation. I have heard that it can be put on one of the little nodes, cover with spagnum moss, and hey presto, a little keiki.

[Queenslander]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

there are products designed to initiate keikis - they aren't cheap, but very little is needed.
I have read, but don't know the particulars, that you can mix rooting hormone with lanolin as a keiki paste.

Do you know of anyone that has successfully tried this method? I would hate to destroy this orchid.

[Rosiefuture]

Originally Posted by Queenslander

Thanks Marion. I was more thinking of Keiki paste. I don't think I have the patience for seed propagation. I have heard that it can be put on one of the little nodes, cover with spagnum moss, and hey presto, a little keiki.

Sorry, I got a bit carried away......lol

You can buy Keiki-pro on US ebay for $25 plus $5 postage. It's a tiny bottle but lasts ages as you only use one drop on each node.

With a sharp blade, you carefully remove the thin covering from the nodes you want to treat. Then you put one drop of the Keiki-pro on the node and that's it. You don't need to put sphagnum moss on it. I've done with to quite a few of my phals.

[Queenslander]

Thanks Marion, I'll try that.
Regards

[WhiteRabbit]

I think the home-made stuff is used the same way as the keiki paste, I don't know what the success rate with it is tho. If you don't mind spending the money for keiki paste, that's probably the way to go.

[Queenslander]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

there are products designed to initiate keikis - they aren't cheap, but very little is needed.
I have read, but don't know the particulars, that you can mix rooting hormone with lanolin as a keiki paste.

Thanks White Rabbit, I can purchase 4ml tube, for $8 here in Aust. So I'll will give it a go.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by Queenslander

Thanks White Rabbit, I can purchase 4ml tube, for $8 here in Aust. So I'll will give it a go.

wow - that's great! let us know how it goes!