POLLEN SWAP !!! post your pollen wants and haves here

Well the thread title says it all. Post your pollen wants and haves here.

Thinking of pollinating a gessie but don't have a good "dad" in bloom? Perhaps someone here can help.

If you are willing to offer up some pollen, please put this thread on your watch list. Maybe also post a what pollen you expect to have available here - it's up to you.

Now, it should go without saying that you don't have to be an experienced hybridizer to participate. Heck, I'm new to hybridizing too - I've only done species, and I've never registered a cross.

Anyway, this idea came up while chatting on this other thread here: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/705388/
Perhaps we don't have enough interest to make this work, but why not give this a try.

If you have questions about pollinating or hybridizing, please post over on that thread, or start a new thread. (And don't forget - there are some good links in the stickies up top.)

some notes for pollen donors

-- all you need to do is put some pollen in an envelope and mail it off. Probably a good idea to fold it in some glossy paper or slide it into a plastic bag
-- harvesting pollen may destroy the flower, so only offer pollen if you can sacrifice a bloom or two.
-- pollen can be stored briefly in the fridge folded in glossy paper, in a plastic bag etc.
-- try to harvest ripe pollen (I think powdery is usually a good sign...?)
-- beware thrips.
-- when you offer pollen, please be honest and clear about what you're offering (Are you sure about the name? Is it blooming true?)



This message was edited Apr 2, 2007 8:08 PM

Reserved for links or something like that....


This message was edited Mar 27, 2007 10:37 PM

Anyone grow av 'Rob's Sticky Wicket'? That is a good semiminiature trailer with many desireable traits and would make a fine 'Dad' (pollen provider) to use on a variegated trailer I'm thinking. If anyone does have some to spare, I would like to give it a try. Even though Sticky Wicket has plain green leaves, using it on a variegate would produce all variegated offspring. The alternate photo in FC (MVL) shows Stckey Wicket pretty well. Rob's Violet Barn website shows a huge plant someone grew for show.

Perhaps some intact fresh cut blossoms that I could gather pollen from would work also? I think they or just the pollen could be mailed in a standard envelope for .39 I would be happy to send the stamp.

Does anyone have thoughts or ideas to add to this?

I think we're scaring people off :P

Someone must have Rob's Sticky Wicket. Even I've heard of that one!

I'd think the pollen and anthers would be enough to send, so whole flowers would be fine too. How important is pollen ripeness for Saintpaulia? For some genera, there is definitely a timing issue.....

I'm looking for pollen from an orange-flowered sinningia - compact or small would be better than big. I'd prefer one with a name too.

Also looking for Nematanthus pollen - again named. I have wettsteinii, so anything else would work.

I'm looking at the foliage of Lyon's Pinky Wink (I think that's what it is?) - very compact, round hairy leaves... liking it a lot but it looks like it might grow too densely. I wonder if it'll be possible to cross this with something? I'll have to read up on AV hybridizing.

Also looking for things (pollen) to dab onto my plant of Sinningia Purple Crest x self. This one is such a trooper, I like..... :-)

The photo is it's first blooming, I think. Last blooming was about a dozen flowers.