Etiquette for X? seeds *Help Much Appreciated!*

Finally, 5 of my Star Dancer pods are harvested and seeds are drying. When choosing seeds to market, does one mix the different pods or select pod by pod? Does it matter? I have kept each pod of seeds drying seperately. Some seeds are smaller and shaped a bit different, could any be bad? Do you list the possible X parents?

Are they fragile to ship in cold weather? Wrap in bubble wrap or just enclose in small plastic baggie and plain envelope? How does one know the postage if shipped internationally and are there any restricted areas?

Many thanks from me & my Momma ;>}
Vi

Hi Vi
Many questions here! I am not sure I get your first question all right...Smaller seeds may be given away, they would more easily grow to smaller plants. If they seem too light they may also be empty or insect-eaten. If you are not sure of the parents just write 'Brugmansia X' otherwise mention them. Tropical plants don't like too much cold, so do tropical seeds. Bubbles envelops are fine, they do not go through machines in the post, plastic baggies and plain envelops will and get crushed...Restriction differ from one country to the other and even within larges countries from part to part.
JJ

Vi,
I would mix the seed if they are from an unknown pollen donor or all from the same donor.I would list the possible pollen donors.
Seed can be safely mailed to the southern tier of states throughout the winter and northern growers can let you know of "warm" windows to ship in.Better to have fresh seed than to wait.
Definately bubble envelopes.US postage is $1.13 and ,odd as it may seem,mailing to Canada and many overseas locations is actually cheaper.
Include extra seed to cover any that may be empty or questionable.

Thanks JJ, as you may guess, this is my first time with seeds! With the uniqueness of Star Dancer, I am so hoping for split versions to appear in different colors and many here have expressed an interest for her seeds.

Altho I have no idea how moths operate, lol, my first guess would be Kyles Pink as it bloomed pretty consistantly along with and next to Star. However, they were lined up as follows: Cypress Gardens, Kyles Pink, Star Dancer, Golden Lady and Maya. Good Ole Dr. Seuss was also blooming across the garden.

This is Star Dancer:

We cross posted JT! Many thanks. Do you know where they cannot be shipped?

Wow, this Dancer wears such a pretty skirt! Never saw such a shape before, does it come true from seed?
Regarding hybrids, international botanical laws state that the mother plant (receiver) will come first and the pollen giver second, so P. coccinea x alba will mean that you used alba's pollen to fecundate coccinea (I use P. for passiflora, another great hybrids provider!).
As for restricted areas for shipping it should concern primarily tropical states such as Hawai or Florida, a can hardly imagine a brug invasion in Montana...
JJ

Vi, if you had only one other Brug blooming, I would agree with JT about mixing all the seeds together. However if there is a possibility that you could have different donors, or had blooms pollinated on a different day, then I would keep the seeds from each pod separated and label each pod:
Brugmansia 'Star Dancer' X ? Pod #1, Brugmansia 'Star Dancer' X ? Pod #2, etc. Done this way, if the grower was lucky enough to get at least 2 good seedlings out of the same pod, he could cross siblings and hopefully bring out those qualities Star Dancer exhibits.

Regarding your question about the possibility of not having any seed in the cork, peel the cork of a few picked randomly. If you get a number of empty chambers, you had a moth that did a poor job of pollinating that bloom.

JJ, here in the states, this is how many growers label seed crossed with an unknown: Brugmansia 'Star Dancer' X ?
Translates to Brugmansia 'Star Dancer' crossed with unknown Brugmansia

This message was edited Jan 8, 2009 3:23 PM

Great suggestions bettydee ...I spot check mine too.
Good luck with them vi.

Thanks Betty, that is exactly what I needed to hear. I have 2 more pods yet to ripen.

Thanks for the wish of luck, Chrissy.

Hi----I need advice on what to do with my one and only seed pod (ever). I patched the hole in the pod (damaged by a green caterpillar) with scotch tape-------------and wondering how long I wait to try to harvest the seeds. When do I pull the pod off the plant (no leaves on it------in a pot on an enclosed porch with temperature between 50-60)? And then what do I do with them? I am a novice at this so any advice will be very welcome.

Shirleyd
Zone 7b

Shirley,
Wait until the peduncle (the stem between the seedpod and the branch) turns yellow, brown or dries out. When you open the pod, the cork that surrounds the seed will be a dark brown. Remove the corky seeds from the pod, separate them from each other and place them on a layer of paper towels to dry for about a week if you are going to store the seed or mail them. You can also plant the seed right away without taking the time to dry them with or without the cork layer.

Thank you bettydee----I can always depend on you for a prompt and informative reply.

Shirleyd

Just wanted to say the star dancer crosses have arrived and are soaking ...thankyou Vi ...the seeds are looking quite ok I will keep you informed of their progress. ^_^
chrissy

Just wanted to say thanks for all the great info. I hear the germantion has been excellent, so thanks again everyone :>}

Hello Vi Yes germination was good here they are.

Mine are up ...thrilled to have some Stardancer babies to play with!
Congratulations Vi and thankyou!
chrissy

Ooops forgot to say Vi when your precious Star Dancer blooms for you again ...get out there and place birds and bees with her yourself ...I predict that they will be very popular seeds. ^_^
chrissy

Wow Joe, those do look great, got my fingers crossed for you :)

Oh, I do plan to Chrissy! It's a relief to hear that Maya apparently wasn't a doner, I've had no reports of albino seedlings.

Wonder which continent will have the next brug craz, a colored split-lobe brug? U.S., Australia or Africa? Is the race on? Shall we place bets? All I know is that it's gonna be a mighty long wait.

So far 12 seeds are up Volabird ,maybe more tomorrow.

Vi I have grown out many hundreds of seeds (all types and crosses in the last year) now yours ... from what I could see ... the seeds seemed fairly uniform, my guess is all the same daddy/or strong mummy genes. The seeds looked typically Suaveolens and so far the seedlings do too ... I have a faint hope that perhaps stardancer may have strong genes.If it hasn't been too messed about with ...I would love to have one with the trait of sitting in a vase for a day or two without wilting ...wouldn't that be wonderful?
chrissy