Any Orchid Hybridizers here?

swords · Nov 1, 2003

I've been tryng to cross two of my Phalenposis before I try it with my paphieopedilums (which must be partially dissected to achieve polination). While I follow the steps correctly placing both pollen sacs on the receiving stigma and the polinated flower collapses within a week or so it never makes a seed pod. What is it I'm doing wrong? They're growing in awesome conditions (the white Phal has been flowering from the same stalk for almost a year) so it shouldn't be a cultural problem.

Is there a possibility that for some reason that a generic (nameless) Phal. ambilis hybrid (white phal) won't cross with a true Phal. schilleriana? I'm hoping for a white Phal with the small black & silver mottled P. schilleriana leaves.

biggun110 · Nov 2, 2003

Hi Josh,

I am no orchid expert but I know that it is common for crosses to not take for many reasons. I would keep trying. Maybe a plant blooming for a year doesn't have the "energy" to pod. I know schilleriana has been crossed to white species and hybrids so that shouldn't be a problem. Are you a member of the International Phalaenopsis Alliance (IPA)? They have a webpage where you can ask questions and there are alot of very experienced members.

Bobby

swords · Nov 2, 2003

Hi Bob,

No, I don't belong to any kinds of plant societies (not even the CP ones). I'm not a real big fan of Phals, I'm more into the slippers it's just that most anyone who knows I like orchids eventually gives me a Phal as a gift cos they sell them everywhere. I did buy the P. schilleriana special though.

Could it be that the ambilis hybrid is 3N (triploid) and the true P. schilleriana is 2N (diploid)? Since they are of the same genus I would imagine it's possible for them to cross but perhaps the P. ambilis hybrid is sterile?

Trent · Nov 7, 2003

Hi Swords,
It's me again. There could be a number of factors affecting the pollination. Old timers like Goodale Moir swear by different times of the day, full moon, temperature and relative humidity. Some plants want to be the female and others the male. As an example: Miltassia. Brassia wants to be the pod bearing plant, so to make a Miltassia, the Miltonia must be crossed onto the Brassia, and to go a second generation, the Miltassia must be the pod bearer if you cross Brassia onto it. Also, odd number flowers on the spike tend to be more fertile. I can't say about Phals, but I'm sure they have quirky dos and don'ts too. As for ploidy, it could be the large white standard is a triploid, but some triploids will set a pod full of sterile seed, or chaff.
One top breeder in Phals who works in the art shades once told me he has to keep trying with certain select clones, and out of a grex, some may be sterile. Sometimes a clone may work with one line of breeding, but not take when crossed onto another. I know you want to make Paph crosses, but from what I understand, they can be difficult too.
Keep trying though. That's a major part of the orchid breeder's art!
Trent

Khai · Dec 21, 2003

The most difficult part with Paphs or any slipper for that matter is that the stigmatic surface has no viscous liquid with which to attach the pollenia,
I like to use Cattleya sap. Also once you become familiar with pollenating the slippers you can usually do it with out ripping up the flowers.

Trent · Dec 22, 2003

Khai,
Cattleya sap? Is that the sticky substance from the stigma surface?
By the way, I've got a really fine Paph bellatulum in flower right now, and would entertain the notion of making a cross with another bellatulum or other Brachy of high quality.
Trent

Khai · Dec 22, 2003

No, it would be the sap that is produced on the plant from an activley growing shoot or set of buds. They look like dew droplets.
I love Brachys they are my favorite section of Pahpiopedulum.

carnivorous23 · Jan 2, 2004

I just had my first success in pollinating phaleonopsis, or at least it looks like they've been pollinated so far. The flowers are collapsing, but they aren't quite collapsing in the same way as other flowers. As people are saying, you never know what all effects these plants in pollination, the flowers are just plain hard to figure out.

As it turns out, my mom had success pollinating an epidendrum last summer by putting it outside near a holly bush that attracts lots of bees. It's got two nearly ripe seedpods forming, still. Hopefully, they'll be viable seeds in there somewhere.