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Well knock me over with a feather! Spike PICS now

PlantAKiss

PlantAKiss

Moderator Schmoderator Fluorescent fluorite, Engl
As I was passing through my dining room, I tossed a glance over at my CP shelf. I just caught a glimpse of something "different" out of the corner of my eye. I turned around to look and couldn't believe what I was seeing! My sad little N. ventricosa has a flower spike!!! :-O :rookwoot:

Now I know its nothing exciting like a hamata or lowii or something like that, but...ITS MY VERY FIRST EVER FLOWER SPIKE!

So...OK...now I remember seeing somewhere on here how to tell if it was male or female... something like if its round its male, kinda claw like its female? I remember seeing photos of each but I've looked and I can't find it.

So if anyone can help me determine the sex, I'd appreciate it. And maybe I can send or receive pollen to make a cross??

I don't know...I'm just happy I finally have had a nep to flower! Awsome! Gotta take pics tonite. :)
 
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Females look elongated, like really fat grains of rice, and males are round like peas.

Congrats! I've only had one plant flower, too. It was an N. campanulata.
 
That's scary! Coincidently, my window sill cultivated N. ventrata is doing the same thing. It's acting like a temperate CP, coming out of dormancy. I have pictures, but not yet uploaded. Whadda we do with these spikes?
 
You find someone else with a flower of the opposite sex and send them your pollen or visca versa. Then you split the seed 50/50.

Ta-da!

http://pollen.carnivoren.org/
 
How long did it take for your N. ventricosa to form the spike?
 
Wow!
I bet it's a cool feeling.
I can't wait till one of mine send up a flower stalk....even though It's gonna be a while :sleep:
 
I remember the feeling. Don't forget to check out the smell, especially at dusk. I now have several males and females that bloom throughout the year. If only I could get the males and females to bloom at the same time.ww

Female ventricosa:
398n_vent_female.JPG



Male ventricosa:
398DCP_0286.JPG
 
Not to hijack this topic, but this is a first for me and totally unexpected. Mine looks to be a female. It has that asparagus look to it.
 
Dang it...I think mine is male. Thank you for the pics Steve! That helps.

I don't know how long it took to form the spike because I didn't even see it. (Things have been a little hectic lately). I'm usually just zooming through the dining room on my way to other things.

It has not entirely developed. I'll try and take some pics tonite.

Congrats Jim! :D

Well at some point I should have pollen if anyone is interested in ventricosa pollen.

WOOHOOOO!
 
  • #10
For some reason the lyrics of, "Brand New Key" are going through my head, only with respect to your male plant and what possible may be my female plant.

So... how does one go about collecting pollen and how does one recognize when the pollen is available for the taking? And how does one ship it?
 
  • #11
wait a few days after the male flowers open (aprrox 3)
hold a piece of aluminum foil under the spike and shake it so the pollen falls ont he foil
fold the foil up
put in padded envelope
send


wait about a week after female flowers open
dip small paintbrush in pollen
dust on female flowers
wait
 
  • #12
I tried this once before with no success but I think its all worked out now.

Here is a pic of the N. ventricosa with spike (it IS male by the way):

floweringventriRS.jpg


Its not a terribly large spike...but...size doesn't matter right? :rolleyes:

ventrispikeRS.sized.jpg

Closer view.

ventrispikeclose.sized.jpg



Close up view of the buds.


So...a few questions.

How will these flower open? Will the bottom-most buds open before the entire spike has fully formed? Or will they all mature and open at the same time? About how long does it take the spike to mature fully?

How long does pollen keep if refrigerated?

I'm just amazed. I had a nep make a spike! Poor lil' fella is somewhat neglected but I do plan to work on him this weekend.
 
  • #14
Its not a terribly large spike...but...size doesn't matter right?
Click to expand...

LMAO!!!

How will these flower open? Will the bottom-most buds open before the entire spike has fully formed? Or will they all mature and open at the same time? About how long does it take the spike to mature fully?
Click to expand...

They open from the bottom up - I think the "ripening" time is different from species to species. My spike looks to be at about the same point yours is......but mine's bigger'n yers! :p
 
  • #15
Schloaty the Show Off!!!!!
 
  • #16
LOL Get out yer tape measure! :p

So...if you need to wait about 3 days after the buds open, then you would be collecting pollen over a period of time as the flowers open up the spike?
 
  • #17
Wow! I just noticed that one of my female ventricosa cuttings has put out a spike and is about to flower!

LOL!
 
  • #18
PlantAKiss; said:
Its not a terribly large spike...but...size doesn't matter right?
Click to expand...

Don't worry, it will get longer and bigger.
 
  • #19
srduggins; said:
If only I could get the males and females to bloom at the same time.
Click to expand...


I think Nepenthes pollen can be preserved by freezing.
 
  • #20
Don't worry, it will get longer and bigger.
Click to expand...

That's what they all say. :rolleyes:

I guess I'll see if anyone wants ventricosa pollen. Its not a "hottie" as neps go, but maybe someone would want a cross.
 
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