Number of posts : 737 Location : Adelaide Registration date : 2010-04-29
Subject: How should i pollinate fockea edulis Sun May 02, 2010 9:55 pm
I have several fockea edulis that happen to flowering i have tryed to pollinate using fine fishing line and pig hair also tryed by touching the flowers together tryed the same last year and i still have had no luck producing seeds. If anyone can help it would be great.
Lachy Moderator
Number of posts : 733 Location : Langwarrin Registration date : 2008-04-05
Subject: Re: How should i pollinate fockea edulis Sun May 02, 2010 10:55 pm
From reading Desert Tropicals, it seems that this plant is dioecious, so you'll need a male and a female plant to get seed. It may be a silly question, but you're not trying to breed male-male or female-female, are you?
Navajoa Moderator
Number of posts : 599 Location : Australia Registration date : 2009-09-15
Subject: Re: How should i pollinate fockea edulis Mon May 03, 2010 7:59 am
I haven't been able to find specific diagram, but Fockea are a member on the Asclepiadaceae which as a rule have a complicated flower structure where the pollen mass "locks" into place in the receiving flower. Like a lock and key arrangement, and as such pollination is a little harder to achieve artificially... so even with a male and female plant you might have difficulties without using a microscope and tools etc.....
cactuscook Moderator
Number of posts : 737 Location : Adelaide Registration date : 2010-04-29
Subject: Re: How should i pollinate fockea edulis Mon May 03, 2010 9:46 pm
Thankou for your replies i have 18 fockeas of 15 are flowering and the flowers look the same i should put them outside as i heard fruit flys pollenate them although we dont want fruit flys in sth aust hope that an insect might help either way when i go back to cairns ill ask my friend how.
Navajoa Moderator
Number of posts : 599 Location : Australia Registration date : 2009-09-15
Subject: Re: How should i pollinate fockea edulis Mon May 03, 2010 11:05 pm
Worth a try, I've heard that putting it near water helps also as you get the small gnats and flies etc
shortly
Number of posts : 127 Location : SEQ Registration date : 2008-06-28
Subject: Re: How should i pollinate fockea edulis Wed May 05, 2010 7:28 pm
Even a feeding station might be worth a try. Austroplebeia bees often polinate my stapeliads.