My dendrobium kingariam is preggers!

[JamesK]

I bought this plant at the Maryland Orchid Show a while back, and it had pretty little pink blooms. Well, I put it on my coffee table, to better enjoy the flowers of this little plant, and next thing I know a seed pod begins to form!

I was amazed and a bit surprised that something or someone sneaked in and got my little orchid pregnant!

I have the pod nicely encased in a small plastic baggie, in case the pod explodes.

My quandary is this...
I don't know if it was crossed with some of the other orchids I have sitting on that table that were also in bloom, if it was fertilized by another wayward plant at the orchid show, or if it self pollinated.

Would it be worth the hassle to send off the pod, have a flask made up and grow out the little ones, since I have no idea what they are crossed with, and would never be able to get them named? I understand that orchid pedigrees are incredibly detailed and I'm only a hobbyist with about 25 plants.

What do you all think?

Cheers,

James

[exasperatus2002]

You can do it for kicks and in 4-5 yrs when the babies bloom for the first time you'll know if it was a selfing or not. Its not that expensive to flask them. I've got a dozen orchids right now and Ive got a pod that'll be ready in june/july to send for flasking. If I get enough viable seed from the single pod I'll have two flasks made up. In all, it'll cost me $50. I will only order two for the lack of space since I dont have a greenhouse either. Our orchid addictions inevitably end in this direction. It's a learning experience to say the least.

[Ellen]

I wouldn't put a plastic baggie over the pod, since that will encourage it to rot. Just leave it open to the air and check it every day once it reaches its full size. When it looks like it's starting to split, you can remove it and hang it in a paper coffee filter to catch the seeds. Since the plant was at a show with other dendrobiums that could have been the dad, the offspring are probably only of interest and value to you as an experiment. However, don't let that stop you from going through the process of seeing the seed pod grow, harvesting it, having it flasked, and growing the babies. Those babies will have special sentimental value for you, and can always be given away as gifts. After all they're no different from the NoIDs that are sold in the box stores. And it's a good lesson on "where orchids come from".

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Ellen

I wouldn't put a plastic baggie over the pod, since that will encourage it to rot. Just leave it open to the air and check it every day once it reaches its full size. When it looks like it's starting to split, you can remove it and hang it in a paper coffee filter to catch the seeds.

I find putting an empty tea bag over the pod (tied at both ends) works well to catch the seed without encouraging rot.

[Ellen]

Den kingianum pods will fit in a tea bag, but a lot of pods (catts, for example) are too big for a tea bag, at least the local tea bags. Maybe tea bags are bigger in the land of Oz.

[exasperatus2002]

I never thought of tea bags. I was told to use coffee filters. Then again I have Catts.