Pollination Madness

As my very first two Orchid seed pods were developing, I began to think about sowing the tiny seeds inside.  I knew it was more complex and difficult than with most flowers, but I like a challenge, and with my Biology background, setting up a small lab sounded fun (in a geeky sort of way).  It briefly crossed my mind that I could send out the seed pods to a laboratory that would start them for a fee, but then I would miss out on all of the fun . . .

So, I began to collect knowledge and equipment for Orchid Flasking at home - more on that in the next post.  For now, just know that I am getting excited about Asymbiotic Orchid Culture!

I knew that there would be some trial and error while I learned the techniques and procured the materials needed to grow Orchids from seed at home, and I had been thinking about how I could practice.  Where was I going to get a bunch of Orchid seeds to make mistakes with until I got it right?  Then I realized two things; first, I was unlikely to be making award quality plants at this stage no matter how carefully I selected parents from amongst my stock, and second, there was a high probability that some (if not many) of my early attempts could fail to grow or die anyway.

To the left of this Photo you can see the blooming LC Schilleriana I used below.
© 2011 ColinFraser

With this in mind, I decided that quantity was the priority for the time being and made up my mind to pollinate everything that bloomed, in order to start some more "practice pods" growing.  Here are the pollinations I attempted during the first two weeks of november (pod parent always listed first) :

LC Schilleriana (a pink one) x Self = LC Schilleriana  -  There were two flowers, and after sefling one I was going to put L anceps pollen on the other one.  I accidentally touched the pollen I was removing from the second flower to its stigma, so rather than worry about who the parent was, they both ended up as selfings.

Laelia anceps 'Irwins' flowers about to be pollinated.
© 2011 ColinFraser

Laelia anceps 'Irwins' x the same pink LC Schilleriana = LC Schloat Blue (1997)  -  Right now, if two remotely compatible Orchids are blooming at the same time, I am probably going to cross them for practice and see what happens.  I looked up this cross on the RHS website and was amused at the name.  My version reverses the original pod and pollen parents, and both are more or less pink . . . it seems unlikely any offspring would live up to the "blue" moniker.

LC Behrensiana - the other flower met a slug.
© 2011 ColinFraser

C (lc) Behrensiana x C (lc) Aylene - and the reverse  -  These "blue" Cattleyas were both blooming, so it seemed like an obvious pollen swap.

Laelia anceps 'Irwins' x an orange Epidendrum  - weird, but fun . . . 

Epidendrum
© 2011 ColinFraser

I also selfed an extra flower on the Behrensiana as well as the anceps, just to have more chances for more "practice pods."

S. Longifolia flowers
© 2011 ColinFraser

Finally, a small surprise.  I had recently brought home a cute Stenoglottis longifolia from an orchid society meeting raffle.  As I inspected its little flowers, I noted that some appeared to have swelling ovaries.  Sure enough there are little seed pods developing!  Either this one can self pollinate, or some of my local insects are doing the job.  Either way, I decided to try one myself since there are so many sequentially opening flowers on the spikes.  I could barely see the pollinia, even with a magnifying glass!  I'll leave that one to the bees!  I also have no idea how long these take to develop, so I will have to just guess about harvesting/sowing them.

S. Longifolia seed pods
© 2011 ColinFraser