# A couple of ST project capsules



## Rick (Feb 13, 2011)

Despite sub-freezing temps and delays in mail delivery it looks like we got a couple of capsules off.

John M sent me the purpuratum pollen from his beauty to put into my Carter and Holmes plant. You can see the flower wilting, but the capsule is green and slightly plumped (paph capsules don't get that big anyway). If you look at the upper left corner of the photo you can see a dead capsule of an unpollinated flower. It was turning yellow before the flower even dropped off of it.




SlipperKing supplied the pollen from his vini wardii to put into the red-est wardii I had. Pigmented capsules are a little harder to tell if they've started, but with the flower dropped, it still has some green in it, and some swelling along the ribs.




So 9-12 months from now they should be ready to harvest:wink:


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## cnycharles (Feb 13, 2011)

good luck!


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## Shiva (Feb 13, 2011)

Cool!


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## SlipperFan (Feb 13, 2011)

Good for you!

Does anyone know how long before Paph. philippinense seed should be harvested?


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## Rick (Feb 13, 2011)

SlipperFan said:


> Good for you!
> 
> Does anyone know how long before Paph. philippinense seed should be harvested?



Phili's are one of the fastest. I've had viable seed in 4 months. In some clones the capsule is not so dark that you can see a color change a week or two before it splits. But I also have some that are very dark and the color change is very subtle before the split.

However, maturation rates are also dependent on temp and light conditions, and typically when I've bred a phili, the capsule is maturing during the heat of the summer.


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## John M (Feb 14, 2011)

Congrats Rick! That purpuratum capsule looks good. I selfed my purpuratum last spring (yes, spring....even though it's a fall bloomer, it bloomed again in the spring). It took and has carried the capsule nicely so far. It looked just like yours, with the wrinkled flower still attached shortly after I did the selfing. The flower will fall within a week or so and the capsule will fatten up to about twice that girth in the coming months.


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## SlipperKing (Feb 14, 2011)

Looks good Rick. My wardii is still caring the pouchless flower as fresh as the day it opened! No wilting yet.


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## SlipperFan (Feb 14, 2011)

Rick said:


> Phili's are one of the fastest. I've had viable seed in 4 months. In some clones the capsule is not so dark that you can see a color change a week or two before it splits. But I also have some that are very dark and the color change is very subtle before the split.
> 
> However, maturation rates are also dependent on temp and light conditions, and typically when I've bred a phili, the capsule is maturing during the heat of the summer.



Thanks, Rick! It's been about 5 months, so I'd better check them!


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## JeanLux (Feb 15, 2011)

:clap:Good work Rick, bravo!!!! :clap: Jean


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## Marc (Feb 15, 2011)

So your going to be a father within 1 to 2 years. Congratulations!


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## GaryB (Feb 16, 2011)

Rick said:


> Phili's are one of the fastest. I've had viable seed in 4 months.



My Paph Berenice (lowii x philippinense) is the same way. The pod is ready around 4 months.


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## GaryB (Feb 16, 2011)

Rick said:


> Pigmented capsules are a little harder to tell if they've started, but with the flower dropped, it still has some green in it, and some swelling along the ribs.



I gently squeeze the capsule and if the pollen has taken, the capsule will feel firmer. If it hasn't, then it is very soft.


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## Rick (Feb 16, 2011)

GaryB said:


> I gently squeeze the capsule and if the pollen has taken, the capsule will feel firmer. If it hasn't, then it is very soft.




You capsule squeezeroke:oke:


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## Rick (Feb 16, 2011)

Marc said:


> So your going to be a father within 1 to 2 years. Congratulations!



This could be double congratulations since this would be a second generation ST project.:clap::clap:

My wardii's are siblings from a cross of parents (both now deceased that Me and Gilda bred about 4 years ago.

If we do more of these projects and document them well I think that ST could ultimately have a voice at the CITES table for E1 breeding projects.


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## SlipperKing (Feb 18, 2011)

Rick said:


> If we do more of these projects and document them well I think that ST could ultimately have a voice at the CITES table for E1 breeding projects.



HA! HA! that would be a day to remember!


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## Rick (Jan 7, 2012)

Ok Just shy of a full 12 months this purpuratum capsule was ready.

It started looking ratty and yellowing, and since I'm going to be in/out of town for the next few weeks, I didn't want to take a chance waiting for it to split on its own. I think it was perfect to go anyway since the seams went ahead and split on their own just by cutting the tip off the capsule.




Seed volume is pretty good too.




If the capsule is fully empty and dry by Monday and the weather looks good to Washington St. then I might get it to Troy ASAP!!


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## Yoyo_Jo (Jan 7, 2012)

Very exciting stuff!


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## John M (Jan 8, 2012)

Looks good, Rick! 'Hope the germination goes well and you get gobs of seedlings. Good luck!


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