For those who love miniatures

[Jason Fischer]

Well, I did it! Using a microscope to make sure I got the pollen in the right spot, I crossed Schoenorchis fragrans (plant pictured) with neofinetia falcata. It has been a few weeks and a seedpod has showed up! This doesn't mean the cross will take 100%, but it is a start.

My goal is to make a neofinetia-like novelty that has even smaller flowers and foliage than a neo. The structure of schoenorchis is quite similar with the monipodial growth habit, and little spur on the back end of the flower. The funny thing is I made a sibling cross of schoenorchis as well on the same day, and that pod aborted!

Projects like this are one of the reasons I love my job.

-Jason

 

[Marco]

looks great Jason. Keep us posted

 

[Jon in SW Ohio]

Did you cross it with a bean leaf Neo??

Jon

 

[Jason Fischer]

Ah, good question. I actually made 3 seedpods, 2 of which I made today. The first one you see pictured is by 'Kirin Maru', which is a bean leaf. The other 2 crosses are with the same parent, 'Benisuzume' because it is a small growing neo with pink flowers. I'm trying to keep the size down, as you can see!

 

[NYEric]

Too cute!

 

[couscous74]

Good luck, I look forward to seeing these offered for sale someday.

 

[Paul]

Good job Jason!!:clap:
It's always exciting when something new is about to be created... good luck!!

 

[myxodex]

Very interesting. Please keep us informed.
Good luck,
Tim

 

[Heather]

Neat-o! Good luck Jason!

 

[couscous74]

So would this be a Neofinorchis or a Schoenetia?

 

[lothianjavert]

AWESOME!!!! :clap: :clap: :clap: That could be a really fun little hybrid!! If it produces a lot of viable seed/plants, do you plan on selling any of the seedlings?

 

[kentuckiense]

Hey Jason, how about an update?

 

[Corbin]

Keep us posted and good luck.

 

[Mrs. Paph]

Yes, update please! Didn't see this post before, very cool. That's why I'm in plant breeding, so many possibilities to imagine and have a hand in creating! I can't even keep myself from meddling w/ bedding plants from Wallyworld and have my own color strain of violas and things like that, so I had better make sure that when I have the funds to really get into orchid breeding that I allow myself enough Lab space in addition to GH space! :rollhappy: Progeny from that cross shouldn't take up much space though!

 

[SlipperFan]

Will the flowers be pink? White? Both?

 

[rdlsreno]

That is cute! Jason that is some determination!


Ramon

 

[Jason Fischer]

Well, it's a disappointment as the seeds never germinated, which means they were most likely without embryos. However, I'll keep trying different intergeneric crosses with neofinetia as I enjoy the challenge.

One interesting fact is that I've never had a neofinetia intergeneric hybrid germinate when neofinetia is the pod parent. So far, it only works as a pollen parent.

 

[SlipperFan]

Too bad. The cross sounded interesting.

 

[callosum]

flaskig problem

there are pink and white flowers
why not try to cross with a bigger plant first such as Asc. miniatum then back cross to rduced the plant size .
The small seed pod is hard to work in flasking:rollhappy: