Pollination

Jane McGary janemcgary@earthlink.net
Thu, 29 Jan 2004 09:52:28 PST
Diana asked,
>My Tecophilaeas are in bloom, but in attempting to hand pollinate them I
>have noticed that the anthers have not split to release their pollen.  I
>have many blooms, all the same, i.e. no pollen.  When I grew these in a
>warmer drier environment I got plenty of seed.  Does anyone have any
>suggestions?

I usually get seed on mine in the bulb frames, but I wait to pollinate them 
until there is a sunny period, which means I can wait a long time in 
western Oregon in the winter. They bloom later here, farther north than 
Diana's place in northern California. I assume Diana's plants are in pots, 
so she could try taking them into the house for a couple of days to ripen 
the pollen. Tecophilaea cyanocrocus does not increase very fast 
vegetatively, so seed is the only means to build up nursery stock.

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon


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