What pollinates with what?
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What pollinates with what?
This question is way out of my field of experience with cacti, but it's something I've been wondering about for a while. How does one know what are possible pollen donors for another genus? I assume Nature has her own laws, but what are they? I'm guessing that any species within a genus can be crossbred with any other species from that genus. Even that assumption may be wrong. I know there's been a lot of cross breeding with Epis, Trichos, Lobivias & Echinopsis. But can, for strange examples, a Gymno pollinate an Echinocereus? Or how about a Thelocactus / Opuntia hybrid? Or a combo Mamm / Parodia? Similar to human bloodtypes, are there universal "donors" and "recipients" among cacti? I guess these question are very naive, but can anyone explain this phenonenon in layman's terms to someone who was not a science major?
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
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OK on that, Ian, and thanks. That explanation I get clearly. But it doesn't hurt to try odd pollinations does it, or is it just frustrating and waste of time & effort?iann wrote:Like with like. The only real guarantee is that two plants in the same species can pollinate. In the same genus, maybe, maybe not. Outside of that, crosses are rare.
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
Hybridisation is a whole new game. You tickle and tickle that Ariocarpus with Oak tree pollen and you get a fruit. Yay!!! Unfortunately all you did was force the Ariocarpus to self. Many people fall into that trap and you'll see quite a few "ultra-rare hybrids" about (eBay is a good place to look ) that are nothing of the sort.
--ian
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That's an interesting one! Who woulda thunk it possible? If anyone runs across a photo of such a "Ferobergia", please post it.TimN wrote:One notable exception is Ferobergia. A cross between a Ferocactus and Leuchtenbergia. Some will say that all Feros should rightly be Leuchtenbergia. But the crosses are usually very interesting looking.
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
That is one reason why they say itTimN wrote:...Ferobergia. A cross between a Ferocactus and Leuchtenbergia. Some will say that all Feros should rightly be Leuchtenbergia.
Ferobergia info and pictures. There are several different ones. Click the links for a few of them.
--ian
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Thanks, Ian. Those are really some 'wild and crazy' lookin' dudes!iann wrote:That is one reason why they say itTimN wrote:...Ferobergia. A cross between a Ferocactus and Leuchtenbergia. Some will say that all Feros should rightly be Leuchtenbergia.
Ferobergia info and pictures. There are several different ones. Click the links for a few of them.
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!