# Neoregelia hybridization- my first real attempt.



## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

So I spent some time this am collecting anthers from a few of my favorite neoregelia that all (luckily!) happen to be in bloom at the same time! 
Blueberry pie 
High voltage
Cocktail
Chocolate bars
Liliputiana x tiger

These are all great for larger vivs and tadpole deposition, and I'm hoping that I can get some neat crossings. Hoping to use liliputiana x tiger as a seed parent to try and keep the spines I like so much. 
I have airtight sealable HPLC vials from work that I store anthers in in my freezer. Hoping to cross these with some of my select ampullacea clones as well! 

Anyone else doing any hybridizing of their favorite Neos? 

I also have stored anthers from my Racinaea crispa!!!! When the next one blooms I'm really hoping I get seed set!


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

I made an attempt this summer using blueberry pie, blueberry tart, gold fever, Jeannie and wee willy, but alas, no viable seed.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Bummer! I hate it when that happens


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

frogparty said:


> So I spent some time this am collecting anthers from a few of my favorite neoregelia that all (luckily!) happen to be in bloom at the same time!
> Blueberry pie
> High voltage
> Cocktail
> ...


I want to something I hope to play around with this winter....Hopefully I will have some blooming...


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Well, I've been saving a ton of anthers, if you only have one blooming and want extra pollen.


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## frogs are cool (May 22, 2010)

Could you start a thread about how this is done and maybe some photos i would love to see this. It is something i am interested in learning. I have never tried to cross broms but i have crossed Phalaenopsis orchids.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Well..... It's hard to get pics when you're doing it solo, but I'll try tomorrow while I'm out collecting anthers

The basics of flower pollination are the same, although for orchids it's a bit different

Basically the individual flowers are only open for a day, so you need to collect anthers before the flowers shrivel, and also perform your pollinations. Here by the beach in San Diego, my flowers are closed by 5pm. 

Each flower has many anthers on their respective filaments surrounding the single carpel. The stigma on the carpel looks kind of like a corkscrew

Basically, I take tweezers and remove the anthers on their filaments and store them in glass vials if I'm not ready to use them right away. 

When I'm ready to pollinate, I take a q-tip and remove all the cotton from the end. Then I roll the stick around in the vial of anthers and pollen, coating the stick. Then I CAREFULLY expose the carpel and stigma of a flower still on the plant, and rub the stick w/pollen around it, hoping to get several grains of pollen to stick. 
That's it. Then i take a toothpick and make a flag with laboratory tape to note the pollen parent, and stick it into the cluster of flowers directly adjacent to the flower I just pollinated. 
This way, each seed parent can be pollinated by several other plants, Im trying for 3 pollinations each. When I use a small brom like ampullacea as the seed parent it will likely only be 1 or 2 max. 
Hope that helps


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## frogs are cool (May 22, 2010)

Got it thanks, i guess because i have never seen it done i thought it would be different lol. Not sure why i thought that  Still think it would be a cool thread for those that have never pollinated anything.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

From my understanding, Neoregelia pollen is only "ripe" for a short time. Usually in the morning hours. This is from speaking to two different hybridizers. Are you having success using frozen/old pollen?


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I'm just doing what Chester Skotak told me to do. Time will tell. Freezing pollen is common practice. 

One thing I have noticed, is that if I wait till after noon, the pollen has already mostly fallen off the anthers. So that's likely a big factor


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Frozen pollen is common practice for some but I would imagine freezing pollinia from orchids or Hoyas would destroy it, no? Or did you mean for bromeliads specifically?

Anyhow, Chester isn't one of the ones I spoke to but he obviously knows how to hybridize.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I'm just doing what Chester Skotak told me to do. Time will tell. Freezing pollen is common practice. 

One thing I have noticed, is that if I wait till after noon, the pollen has already mostly fallen off the anthers. So that's likely a big factor


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Also there's a good chance that its the female organs that shrivel and become unreceptive after a few hours


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Lol. Double response?


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Well in a few months you'll find out.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I should have just edited my original.

I have successfully used frozen orchid pollinia several times. Never tried Hoyas or Dischidia. In fact, orchids are the only plants I've ever tried to hybridize at home.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

I have used frozen pollen from several tropical plants with success, including Epiphyllum, Adenium and Dyckia.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

That's good to know on the orchid pollinia!!


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