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junpherz

Quetion of Tillandsia pollination

junpherz
14 years ago

Hey Everyone,Though I have tried to search the question through the internet for times, ha' failed to reach to a wanted result as yet..

Thereafter,I pop this question here:

How do the Tillandsia pollinate?---Do they self-pollinate?Will all Tillandsia or only a part of species do self-polinate .??---if so, should it self-pollinate in one,the same bract sepal?? or have to be crossed with another bract sepal in this mother plant on the same inflorescent?----If not, may it need ,at least 2 plants, to fruit the vigorous SEEDS then?

For instance, a T.ionantha which doesn't flower much at one time,probably flowers ONLY One Bract each day...The thing is you can't seem to have another flower at the same time in the same plant(you don't have any "stored powder " as well).....my question(No.1) is :Can I use the "powder" to fertilize the "pistil" all on one bract?? and if it fruits,will the seed germinate successfully with good result(pretext : sow in good conditon)??


Question No.2: If a Tillandsia Ionantha this time has 2 flowers (Bracts) blossom at the same time,Can I cross these 2 flowers with a brush to fertilize each other on the same mother plant?? Am I receiving a good result of seed germination if provided good conditions as well.

I prefer pure-bred sp. but I have very limited plants that most of them only one of each species in stuck here....that's why I ask a question like this. I long for propagating my plants and don't want to waste the resource of time and of plants when they get to blooming period.Here,I would like to "SOS" all of your experienced guys.

Additionally,Do you know what the best way to get Vigorous and Energitic Seeds is??Does it ,the way to pollinate plants vary from different species,likewise??

Any answer will be much appreciated .

Thanks in advance.

Ralph

Comments (7)

  • gonzer_gw
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ralph, although I've grown Tillandsias for upwards of 30+ years I always rely on the self seeding or hummingbird pollinated plants. The stigmas are too far recessed for me to get down in there and do the dirty deed. I would strongly suggest contacting Derek Butcher and/or the Bromeliad Taxonomists and Growers Discussion Board (found on the web). Here's Derek's e-mail: UncleDerekSays@fcbs.org
    ..and Andrew Flower's: andrew@anwyl.com

    Here is a link that might be useful: Brom growers discussion board

  • sdandy
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I agree with Lisa and to just try it. I've been watching some tricolor seed pods that I tried some self pollination and cross pollination on over 10 months ago (and it's killing me waiting for them to ripen!). But they are starting to darken, so I'm hopefully going to start playing with them within a month. About 75% of the ones I tried to pollinate on that plant are setting seed. I've tried several others, mostly self-pollination, and am having very mixed results. I haven't been overly careful in making notes of what time of day, temperature, etc...or even labeling what flowers I tried for that matter (I know, its a bad idea). But I am proceeding very passively (for my sanity).

    I have recently tried some more tillandsias that have the pistils and stamens that are recessed deep in the flower and it is pretty tricky. But usually if the pollen clearly sticks to the tip of the pistil I assume everything is as close as possible to working.

    Good luck and let us know how it goes! Maybe I'll start taking notes now that I have more types that are blooming and might actually take care to plan out stuff.
    -andy

  • junpherz
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    To Lisa:
    Yep! Your answer is awesome and it's instructive to me.
    I do not have them flowered as yet,if they did,I would be too late to ACT then!.
    Propagating my T.eizii and T.thrysigera and T.prodigosa is what I wanted, which now have not reached their maturity by far .Merely one of each sp I have that makes it difficult to get another,weather from same "origine" or not at the time when they flower.and also this is the initial baffle of mine.
    Anyway Thanks for your advice and I'll try its self-compatibility if I get no more same sp. then.

    To Gonzer:
    Thank You,I have e-mailed these two authentic growers ,and am waiting for their answer.From your experience with self-pollination,it doesn't seem to be any problems though.

    To Sdandy:
    Hope you could get good results on your seeding.and Yeah,do take attention to 'note' your works and share them with us afterwards.
    But mine,still have to be waiting probably a long period...I 'll try to get fast-growers to do this.

    Cheers
    Ralph

  • Rasainthiran Menayah
    6 years ago

    Dear Tillandsias fans, my T. ionantha just flowered today and is my first of my Tillandsias to do so. Now how do I water them. Is misting sufficient; or need any other special attention. Any assistance will be appreciated. Thanks.

    Rajan

  • debbyabq
    6 years ago

    Rasainthiran Menayah, in this case (if it is still blooming or future ones bloom), misting is good. Dunking in water means you have to avoid getting the flower itself wet. Misting will be sufficient for the whole plant while it is blooming, and don't mist often (maybe every other day if that). If it manages to pollinate itself (or if you try it), eventually the flower will wither away but in its place will be a hard shell-like formation that will in time snap open. I have often heard this happening and thought "I hope that is not a bug!" but in time I find that the shell has opened and white, fuzzy seeds have been trying to escape. They remind me of dandelion seeds. I haven't had success growing any seeds, but then I tend to treat them like they might be in nature: lay them out on a stone or stick (which I use for decoration if I have tillandsias arranged in a flat bowl, for example) and moisten them when I spray the mom plant and other plants. One day maybe it will work, and they are only ionanthas anyhow, of which I have plenty already! ... well, I could use more (who couldn't?) just not babies :)

  • splinter1804
    6 years ago

    Hi everyone.

    Ralph - To find answers to your questions, go to the “Bromeliad
    Information” section in the F.C.B.S. web site at http://fcbs.org/_index.php

    Using the index on the left of the page, open the section
    marked “Bromeliad Information”

    From this, open the section on “Hybridizing”

    The following three sections should answer all of your
    questions:

    POLLINATION AND HYBRIDIZATION - Mulford Foster, August
    1996 FCBS newsletter

    NOTES FOR THE HYBRIDIST - Derek Butcher

    PROBLEMS WITH BREEDING AND INTERPRETING RESULTS - Bill
    Morris

    All the best, Nev