Question on Paph Flowering time and pollen harvesting

[Nelson Wong]

Hi Experts!

I have several paph flowering right now and harvested some pollen and noticed a few things that I would like all you experts weigh in. I harvested some paph pollen last week, no pollination at all, and the flower decided to drop this week.

Is it normal for the flower to drop fairly soon after the pollen is harvested? If the flowers do drop after the pollen is harvested why is it doing that? For paphs how long do flower usually bloom for?

 

[katzenhai2]

With my Paphs I haven't observed that.

 

[spujr]

I have noticed occasionally that the flowers would soon drop after harvesting the pollen.

However I also had cases where the flowers stayed on for a while after collecting pollen.

Flower duration can be influenced by many different environmental and genetic factors.

 

[Nelson Wong]

I have noticed occasionally that the flowers would soon drop after harvesting the pollen.

However I also had cases where the flowers stayed on for a while after collecting pollen.

Flower duration can be influenced by many different environmental and genetic factors.

Interesting. Do you see the flower drop more often in maudiae or multifloral after harvesting the pollen?

Just a curiousity. Because my roths and roth hybrids all had the flower drop around 1 to 2 weeks after harvesting pollen. I am just not sure if that is just happening to me or if others have noticed the same trend

 

[tmoney]

well we've only been trying to breed them for a couple years, so maybe pulled pollen from a dozen flowers. so far we haven't seen them drop just from harvesting pollen. but we don't have roths , and my hunch would be that it is both genetics combined with culture that is causing it. no idea, perhaps its fully genetic. you didn't say how long in total the flowers were on?

for instance, we took pollen off both of the multiflorals we have in bloom right now and of the 3 unpollinated flowers remaining, they all look pristine 2 weeks after harvest

 

[spujr]

Interesting. Do you see the flower drop more often in maudiae or multifloral after harvesting the pollen?

Just a curiousity. Because my roths and roth hybrids all had the flower drop around 1 to 2 weeks after harvesting pollen. I am just not sure if that is just happening to me or if others have noticed the same trend

I have only collected from multiflorals, so can't speak about other types.

 

[spujr]

It is entirely possible I accidentally fertilized the flower while trying to collect the pollen and that hastened the flower to expire.

 

[Nelson Wong]

well we've only been trying to breed them for a couple years, so maybe pulled pollen from a dozen flowers. so far we haven't seen them drop just from harvesting pollen. but we don't have roths , and my hunch would be that it is both genetics combined with culture that is causing it. no idea, perhaps its fully genetic. you didn't say how long in total the flowers were on?

for instance, we took pollen off both of the multiflorals we have in bloom right now and of the 3 unpollinated flowers remaining, they all look pristine 2 weeks after harvest

Mine was open around 5/1/2024. I harvested the pollen last week 6/14/2024. So the flower has been in bloom around a 1.5 month. Is that a normal blooming duration? This is the firs time I bloomed roths and roth hybrids. So I am not sure how long flowers last. If it is me or just the plant

I will also check to see if I accidentally fertilized the plant

 

[Nelson Wong]

It is entirely possible I accidentally fertilized the flower while trying to collect the pollen and that hastened the flower to expire.

I am actually checking if I accidentally self pollinated the plant. if I did. I am cutting it

 

[tmoney]

Mine was open around 5/1/2024. I harvested the pollen last week 6/14/2024. So the flower has been in bloom around a 1.5 month. Is that a normal blooming duration? This is the firs time I bloomed roths and roth hybrids. So I am not sure how long flowers last. If it is me or just the plant

I will also check to see if I accidentally fertilized the plant

ah, well then yeah, being that old a flower it is probably that it was nearing the end of its life anyway, so taking the pollen may have just forced it to quit! but again, somebody who actually grows Roths would have a better idea how long they typically last.

not sure how you would check for self pollination? in the future, just make really sure that you take the complete pollinia from each side, and take it up and out being diligent that no pollen grains get down the back and possibly onto the stigma. if it retains the ovary and it starts getting a little bigger, then possibly you did self it. but meh, might as well keep it and see how long it takes to develop, just to collect some data. unless you don't want to stress the plant unnecessarily, then just chop the whole spike....