ST colaboration: gratixianum

[Marc]

In the beginning of this year Mathis suprised me with the pictures of his gratixianum ( Purple Mountain x Billy's Dark One )

http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23908&highlight=gratix

When searching for Purple Mountain I got directed to this site:

http://www.justmystage.com/home/mandt/page58.html

On this site Purple Mountain can be found with the name M&T Orchids. Does anyone have any more info about them?

I couldn't find anything specific regarding Billy's Dark One. Help please?

I was very impressed with the flower and I apreciated it a lot.

As my own gratixianum started opening last week a plan suddenly emerged in my mind and a PM was quickly written to Mathias. I requested if it was possible for him to send pollen, or to do a pollen swap. Within a day I received a PM that it was no problem. So a few PM's were exchanged and arrangements were made.

In the meantime my own gratixianum openend up some more. Because I wanted to polinate today I didn't take pictures with my DSLR so a compact shot needs to do. Shape isn't what it should be yet as these flowers only openend a few days ago.

While I was at work I received a message from my girlfriend that a letter had arrived from Sweden.

The pollen was very nicely packed in some bubble wrap which contained some folded fat free baking paper on which the pollen was smeared.

This was the first time that I worked with Paphiopedilum pollen and I was quite surprised by it's thick wax like structure. To me it resembles something that you would normally find in someone ear. :rollhappy: I only picked up the waxy stuff with the tip of a wooden toothpick.

The pollen themselves were smeared all over the bottom of the stigma. This is how the plants look now.

 

[biothanasis]

Very nice flowers and all the good luck for the seedpods to develope and produce viable seeds...

 

[nikv]

Wicked cool! I sure hope the cross takes. I'd love to buy some seedlings some day if you will have them available.

 

[Gcroz]

Thank you for posting this. What a wonderful "photo essay" telling the story of this potential cross! Please update this thread with photos in the future so we can have the whole story to look at.

 

[Rick]

Way to go guys!!!

This will be the second ST collaboration for this species. 4 different countries and some awesome parents.

 

[NYEric]

Paph panderers!

 

[JeanLux]

Good luck Marc!!!! Jean

 

[Marc]

Wicked cool! I sure hope the cross takes. I'd love to buy some seedlings some day if you will have them available.

Unfortunately due to CITES and other treaties shipping the plants from Europe to the US will be a problem. Even sending in flask will be a hurdle because of the involved paperwork.

Thank you for posting this. What a wonderful "photo essay" telling the story of this potential cross! Please update this thread with photos in the future so we can have the whole story to look at.

Your welcome and I sure will do, you can also look at my other project I have currently in this section. I'm trying to recreate two primary hybrids with Australian Dendro's.

Way to go guys!!!

This will be the second ST collaboration for this species. 4 different countries and some awesome parents.

Was there a topic for the other gratixianum collaboration that took place here? If so can you link it please because I can't find it. ( Or I'm not looking hard enough )

 

[SlipperKing]

Nice clear pictures. Nice looking flower too!

 

[Rick]

Probably at least 3 years ago I got pollen from Toddybear's gratrixianum to breed with mine.

We did not post cool pics of the breeding procedure though.

 

[Dido]

Think of a flask for me marc.
Would like to try the ofspring of your plant.

Cross fingers for you

 

[Marc]

Think of a flask for me marc.
Would like to try the ofspring of your plant.

Cross fingers for you

Well there are still a few hurdles to take before we get to that point. And I don't even know currently if, how and in what form the plants will be made available.

Of course I'll keep everyone updated but a lot depends on succesfull polination and then in 7-9 months succesfull germination.

 

[Marc]

Because of another discussion I just noticed that I'm constantly writing the name wrong and that I'm forgetting the "R" in Paph. gratrixianum

 

[Marc]

I'm excited :clap: :clap: :clap:

I'm inclined to remove one of the two capsules so the plant can at least partially focus on growing again. One pod should produce enough viable offspring.

I expect them to be ready for sowing somewere september, 8 months should be enough for green pod sowing I think.

 

[SlipperKing]

8 should be long enough. How big is the plant (growths) It maybe able to hold both.

 

[W. Beetus]

Great to see the crosses took!

 

[Marc]

8 should be long enough. How big is the plant (growths) It maybe able to hold both.

If I counted it right it's a 7 growth plant. One or two previous bloomed growths. 2 growths that hold the pods then two that should be blooming next season and some smaller ones. The plant itself is pretty rootbound so I more or less need to repot this spring. Hope this doesn't cause any pods to abort.

 

[Rick]

Sounds like a good stout plant. I think it will be just fine, and I've repotted plants without aborting pods.

 

[chrismende]

Fun, fellows!

 

[Marc]

These pods are still on the plant and still looking green. Going to see if I can get this in flasks in the coming weeks. Seeing that they have been on the plant for more then 8 months now.