Pollination
Pollination
not something i have ever tried,
as i understand it you use something like a paint brush or cotton bud to get the little yellow grains of pollen from area 1 on one flower and then brush them onto the stigma area 2 on the flower on another plant of the same species, or if trying to hybridise another closely related species. is that correct?
as i understand it you use something like a paint brush or cotton bud to get the little yellow grains of pollen from area 1 on one flower and then brush them onto the stigma area 2 on the flower on another plant of the same species, or if trying to hybridise another closely related species. is that correct?
incurable cactoholic
growing rebutia's with a mix of others.
growing rebutia's with a mix of others.
- dustin0352
- Posts: 1303
- Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2008 11:40 am
- Location: East Coast Florida
- CoronaCactus
- Posts: 10421
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 6:16 pm
- Location: Corona, California USA [Zone 10]
- Contact:
That is correct.
Depending on specie, You usually have to wait for day 2+ to pollinate. As when they first open they aren't receptive to pollen. Once the stamens (area 1) spread apart and look *dusty* with pollen they are ready. The recieving flower needs to have it's stigma fingers open (area 2) indicating it's ready to receive pollen.
If done too early or too late, you get nada or very poor seed counts and/or poor viable seed.
Depending on specie, You usually have to wait for day 2+ to pollinate. As when they first open they aren't receptive to pollen. Once the stamens (area 1) spread apart and look *dusty* with pollen they are ready. The recieving flower needs to have it's stigma fingers open (area 2) indicating it's ready to receive pollen.
If done too early or too late, you get nada or very poor seed counts and/or poor viable seed.
some species stigma are receptive from the get go but the pollen is not, like Astrophytum. so if you run your brush through the filaments, you wont see much pollen where as if you wait for 2 days and do the same the brush will be coated in yellow dust. many cacti do that, probabyl to help promote cross pollination. Stigmas also become more receptive at different times depending on species.
i personally use those really tiny paint brushes the ladies use for makeup around their eyes. they are fine and work great without really messing up the stigma too much (q-tips dont hold and release pollen nearly as good, and they are huge).
ideally its nice to store pollen for timely species, then there is not guessing games and playing around
i personally use those really tiny paint brushes the ladies use for makeup around their eyes. they are fine and work great without really messing up the stigma too much (q-tips dont hold and release pollen nearly as good, and they are huge).
ideally its nice to store pollen for timely species, then there is not guessing games and playing around
Stephen Robert Irwin: 22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006. Rest In Peace.
- CoronaCactus
- Posts: 10421
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 6:16 pm
- Location: Corona, California USA [Zone 10]
- Contact:
Remember this pic from another thread?daiv wrote:What do you mean by this line? Wait 2 or more days? I don't think that would work too well for most cacti flowers.CoronaCactus wrote: You usually have to wait for day 2+ to pollinate.
When the flowers first open, not all of them are ready to go, they need some time to produce. I've noticed quite a few species that will continue to open/close thier flowers for up to 3 days. Of course, with species that only open thier flowers for 1 day or an afternoon, your wait time is not going to be very long so you gotta be quick
Yes that is what I was thinking about. The "one-dayers". With so many Echinopsis blooms posted recently I had one-day blooms on the mind.CoronaCactus wrote: Of course, with species that only open thier flowers for 1 day or an afternoon, your wait time is not going to be very long so you gotta be quick
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
some flowers only open at night. some studies on night bloomers like dragon fruit showed that hte style grew throughout the night and the space between anther and stigma got larger. as the space increased, as time passes, it would become active and ready for action
other species don't care and can be fertilized and release pollen at any time. the best bet is to jsut pollinate them every day the flower is open, even 2 or 3 times a day if you got the time
other species don't care and can be fertilized and release pollen at any time. the best bet is to jsut pollinate them every day the flower is open, even 2 or 3 times a day if you got the time
Stephen Robert Irwin: 22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006. Rest In Peace.
- Peterthecactusguy
- Posts: 8862
- Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2010 7:49 am
- Location: Black Canyon City, Arizona
Just an observation, but most of the Opuntia flowers aren't ready on the first day. The Stigmas aren't open yet. They remain tightly closed usually. I haven't tried to pollinate any of them yet, but I have noticed that the stigmas aren't always open at first.
Some plants flowers are only open for one day. Saguaros are that way, but usually by the morning they are ready to receive pollen.
Some plants flowers are only open for one day. Saguaros are that way, but usually by the morning they are ready to receive pollen.
Here's to you, all you insidious creatures of green..er I mean cacti.
-
- Posts: 1090
- Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 12:39 am
-
- Posts: 122
- Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2011 4:25 pm
- Location: UK