I bought a columnea "lava" last year and tried to pollenate several of the flowers. Several calxes (spelling? the stem of and small leaves around the flower)remained after the flowers died for several months, but none set a berry.

Any idea what might have happened?

I thought that perhaps the plants were not self-fertil and I will need to get pollen from another columnea. Any ideas where I could get some columnea pollen?

Thanks!

Ed

calyx - calyces (pl) (I just checked it on google - it helps my aging brain to use internet as a prop).

First - my congratulations - "Lava Flow" is one gorgeous columnea.

Second - why it didn't take -

a. it is a hybrid - and sometimes their fertility is low to none

b.try again - be sure that the pistil is receptive - should be kind of glistening with moisture on the best time - usually pollen and pistil are not ready in the same flower at the same time - you need to take pollen from another flower. After you applied pollen to the pistil - try to create high humidity to help the pollen hatch - put your plant under the dome for a week or 2.

Pistil is receptive for short time, pollen actualy lasts, so people exchange pollen in a mail - somebody will take the anthers with pollen , make a small envelope out of shiny newspaper ads to hold them - and just send it to you in a regular mail. i think it stays fresh in a fridge for a long time.

There is a gesneriad club in Ohio - you can check on chapters. Probably there are people in this club who grow variety of Columneas and there are 5 AV clubs in Ohio - check on AVSA.org under Affiliates
- I am sure after several calls you can find several fellow Columnea lovers not far from you.

Good Luck

Irina

PS Columnea species make berries for me on their own - but I didn't see one on hybrid.