pollination: what to expect

[bschip]

about three weeks ago I pollinated a burr.nellie isler 'swiss beauty' .. with.. b.nodosa x cordata....anyway the pollated flower withered and died which I'm told is correct.........my question is..what happens next and how long will it take see or not, a seed pod?

[jerrymeola]

It is correct that the plant kills the flower immediately to protect the pollenated seed. The flower pedals should fall off and over time a fattened seed pod will grow at the end of the stem. It is not fast and can spread out over months. It will vary greatly with the species.

Growing from seed is a major effort with sterile flasks and algum. It is not really a home solution. you can search the internet for a method of growing them in petrie dishes on a counter top. It may be fun to try.

Crossing a burrilla with a bossovolla Little Stars (that is the registered name of nodosa x cordata) is quite a family cross. It is hard to guess what may come out. Bossovollas take 7 years to flower so unless the burrilla adds a faster flower trait, you have a wait in store.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I'm sorry to say that you should expect absolutely nothing. Catt complex (Brassavolas) and Oncidium complex (Burr) are not compatible, and a hybrid between them has never succeeded in being made. Secondly, you should think twice before making any cross, because if the pollen parent has virus, you will transfer the virus to the seed parent. If these are not very unique plants, and are replaceable, then only the cost of replacement is what you face loosing. Cynthia, Prescott, AZ

[orchidaddict789]

Yes, when you cross you have to make sure the plants are more related. Some cattleya alliance plants are cattleyas, laelias, diacriums, broughtonias, sophronitis, brassavolas, etc. These may be compatible, with many intergeneric combinations possible. Oncidium alliance plants don't mix with catts (or phals or dends), so you should only find combinations of odontoglossoms, oncidiums, miltonias, cochliodas...