Does anyone have any information about breeding plumerias? Or a good source of information on the subjest. Pictures would be very helpfull.
Breeding Plumeria
dbrooks, when you say "breeding," do you mean propagating or pollinating? I assume you mean pollinating. Since the tiny sex organs are so hard to reach, there are not many natural pollinators. Thrips seem to be the most common one. A flower can self-pollinate if jarred hard enough. Here is one of the greats, Eggenberger, talking about cross-pollinating and creating new hybrids: http://www.plumerias.com/fdx/fsget/mcps/archive/data/Plumerias/2005/10/09/10792-EggenbergerTranscribedSCPSrev2.pdf If that link isn't working, go to http://www.plumerias.com and look for the transcribed lecture by Richard Eggenberger. Below is a page from the Eggenberger book on pollination:
This message was edited Jun 7, 2006 8:53 PM
Here is a picture showing the reproductive parts:
Thank you both for the information, and yes I do mean pollination. I would like to make some new hybrids. I would like to know of any techniques or stories of people who have made their own hybrids and how they went about pollinating their plants. I have opened numerous flowers and have not been able to find any pollen. Are some Plumerias sterile? Thanks again!
Dbrooks, I belong to several plumeria forums, and not many members pollinate their own flowers that I know of because it is tedious. The pollen should be there, but in tiny amounts. There are very few sterile hybrids, I think. You may want to join the Plumeria Science Group over at Yahoo. The address is over at the FAQ's page. You may find some hybridizers over there. Also, I think Jim Little's new book addresses hybridizing and pollinating. I have it but haven't had much time to go through it carefully. The link to it is over at the FAQ's page also. The hybridizers that I know of are Luc of Florida Colors, Jim Little, Richard Eggenberger, and Kukiat Tanteeratarm. I'm sure there are others. Most of the named cultivars which are registered today are the result of natural pollination, I believe.
Jim Littles book covers it perfectly.
Thank You!
Walcome! ;^)