Double Fertilization

[helixturnhelix]

So I decided to just mess around with one of the Saffron blooms I got today.  I crossed it with DB and Acapulco gold pollen.   I wonder if you could get two different types of flower from two different parents or if the pistol only allows one type of pollen to fertilize and doesn't allow any others much like a mammalian egg. 

I was also reading that pollen proteins are super stable and can be kept for a very very long time.  So I also fertilized another bloom with a DB flower that was about 2 weeks old and I havent thrown it out yet.  If I get viable offspring, it might be possible to start a "pollen bank" so that you may be able to perform crosses that you want when you want, and you are not restricted to what is blooming at that time. 

Anyways some ideas from this afternoon. 

[Charlie]

That is very creative, Chris! How will you know if the "double fertilization" worked?

As far as dried pollen goes, that is very interesting. One of the "golden rules" of hybridizing hibiscus has always been that the pads and pollen of the 2 flowers is fresh and not dried out. To this end some have done such things as spray the pads before or after pollen is applied with a little water to "wet" them if they are dried out. Most of us won't use pollen that has become gritty or granular as opposed to the fluffy, "spreadable" texture of fresh pollen. Now if we (or you!) discover that the pollen can be used dry that would be a major revision of hibiscus hybridizing practice. Also very convenient. However, based on a lot of experience I don't think it will work very often without some way to wet the pollen. I've heard of people tying plastic bags around the newly pollinated flower in order to keep the humidity extra high, others have even taken to blowing warm moist breath over the pollen on the newly pollinated bloom. Many hybridizers will cut the staminal column loaded with fresh pollen and put it in a film canister or other sealed container with a few drops of water and then store it in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before using. It would be very cool if we found out that we could store dried pollen indefinitely and then moisten is somehow and use it with good results.

In any case, I have just tried out your theory by placing second day, pretty dry pollen from 'Zulu Warrior' onto a fresh bloom. It was drier than I would normally attempt so I could not resist giving the flower a little spritz of water to moisten things up. That's not exactly trying out try pollen but it's close. We'll see what happens in a few days.

Nice thinking outside the box!

Oh yes, below is a photo of the Zulu Warrior bloom when it first opened, itself on the receiving end of Moonstruck pollen that was fairly fresh. Huge flower, great color, can't wait to get some of these out there next year.

Charlie

[helixturnhelix]

Hi Charlie,

That pic of Zulu warrior reminds me of opening colors of Space Oddity.  What do the faded colors look like?

I am hoping that dried pollen is as viable as fresher pollen under the proper conditions.  We will see based on whether or not i get seeds from these crosses.  I just used 2 week old DB pollen, so heres for crossing fingers

[Charlie]

Zulu Warrior is in the same color group along with Space Oddity and Moonstruck and older cv Fifth Dimension. Each is unique though and viewing them in real life you would not confuse them. Below is a pair of Zulu Warriors, the one on the left just opening and the one on the right in its second day.

Maybe dried pollen will work on very fresh pads that are themselves sufficiently moist enough to activate the pollen grains. We should explore this dried pollen topic more as we learn more.

Charlie

[Louis]

Zulu is a very striking plant. hope you get it out, i would love to have one.

good job, charlie.

louis

[Charlie]

Zulu W will be out next year. I broke my normal rule by using the first plant to pollinate with instead of increasing it by taking cuttings. After getting some nice crosses with it I started grafting it last month and will continue whenever there is useable wood.

Another to watch for this year is 'It's A Wonderful Life' which will be available this summer. The flowers are huge, fancy, and heavily textured. Colors are soft but otherwise this is a real attention getter.  Below are a winter and a summer bloom - more pink in the winter.

Charlie

[roadrunner]

That one looks just great. Not fair Charlie. I'm out of space for more plants which hasn't seemed to deter me so far since I've made 4 more purchases already this year. I don't think there is a local Exotic Hibiscus Anonymous office here either.  lol

dave

[Charlie]

Thanks, Dave. Once you're back on the tennis court maybe you can think about a little addition to the hibiscus growing area. As almost everyone finds, there is never enough space for the plants you want to grow or already have.

Charlie

[blupit007]

I just pollinated Voodoo Magic that just opened today with pollen from Cindy's Heart from 2 days ago.  Inside winter conditions, and CH is a tough one.  Cross fingers...

[Charlie]

Yep, tis a tough one - here's hoping!

Charlie

[blupit007]

I just spritzed it with a mister to be safe.  I may have a bud on it going from it's self again.  We'll see.