Paphiopedilum purpuratum x sib (‘Full Wings’ x var. album ‘Albino Beauty’ CBR/AOS) selfed today!

[BrucherT]

Today was day 3 from opening of this first-bloom seedling from Sam and my first-ever orchid pollination! Here’s hoping for success. Anybody want to give me tips on maturing the pod? Sam will be flasking but he grows in a phenomenally state-of-the-art facility, whereas I am but an apartment-dwelling window grower.

I like the flower. Wishing the dorsal would fold back but it is probably selected for that roundness. Whatever. Can’t say it often enough: this is my favorite species of all and I’m pretty excited to bring back Sam’s ‘Albino Beauty.’

Hybrid-disdainer that I am, guess what? I took the paper clip and smeared the gooey remnants all over the stigma of a Dr. Jack that’s been open for awhile. Because why not? Probably been done before. Probably won’t take. Probably won’t flask. But I couldn’t resist; such a hypocrite!

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Yayyyy hopefully this selfing 1/4 albinos!

In terms of pod care, keep in same spot, water plant well and don’t wet the pod (they rot overnight!). Maturation time is 5-9 months, watch for any sign of yellowing at seams.

 

[Ozpaph]

here's hoping

 

[musa]

Good luck for your selfing!!!
For pollination I use a toothpick which I cut diagonally (like you cut flowers for a vase). So I get a little spathulalike area which I use to take up the pollen. That is more comfortable to me.
Yellowing and opening of the pod goes very fast. To me it happens often that I realize it too late to harvest a green pod.

Leslie, is there a list of maturing times of different species or does the time depend on other conditions like temperature, too? The pods I did all took 6 1/2 month at most. Therefor I'm harvesting after 5 month+ to be save harvesting a green pod.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Musa, yes indeed the time varies based on species and environmental conditions. The chamberlanianum complex can be as fast as 4 months while the sukhakuliis up to 9 months (minus one month for green pod). Warmer temperatures (especially at night) will accelerate by about 1-2 months.

These are the pod times that I’ve harvested (when pod yellows and opens) or currently pregnant:

mastersianum = 6 months
victoria-regina = 4 months
tonsum album = 7.5 months
leucochilum = 6.5 months
sukhakulii = 10 months plus
niveum album: 6 months plus
Xanthophyllum = 7 months plus

* plus means pod still green and developing currently on plant

Some people say you can safely harvest with viable seeds at 6-7 months. And they have germination (fertile embryos).

I let mine go to maturity because the dry seeds I collect are easily sent across borders to labs.

 

[GuRu]

Brucher, I agree P. purpuratum is a lovely species. Good luck for you breedings and your efforts to become a famous breeder. Lol

 

[NYEric]

Good luck.

 

[Guldal]

Good luck, too, from DK!

 

[littlefrog]

For paphs I find 9 months is pretty much the minimum time to dry seed for anything I've made. I also grow under lights, so perhaps things don't go as fast. I've had as long as 11 months.

Only thing I can add is to be careful not to over-stress the plant with capsules. Just because you might have three flowers, doesn't mean you should pollinate all three (I know you didn't, but the temptation will arise in the future). To some extent I've found that carrying a single pod can be 'therapeutic', sometimes plants that are growing poorly will grow better with a pod. Weird. But it is also easy to overdo it. I've never killed a plant that way, but I've set a few back quite a bit.

Phrags are a lot faster... 2-3 months.

 

[musa]

Thanks for the maturation times, Leslie. Would it be a good idea creating a thread to collect them?

My lab told me, germination rates would be better with green pods because the seeds need not be desinfected.

littlefrog, I made the same experience, I pollinated a micranthum (one growth). First I doubted it was a good idea as the plant looked like passing away. Finally two new growth showed and its roots were excellent.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Thanks for the maturation times, Leslie. Would it be a good idea creating a thread to collect them?

My lab told me, germination rates would be better with green pods because the seeds need not be desinfected.

littlefrog, I made the same experience, I pollinated a micranthum (one growth). First I doubted it was a good idea as the plant looked like passing away. Finally two new growth showed and its roots were excellent.

Perhaps a timetable might be helpful but the maturity dates are all over the map basked on growing conditions.