Pollination of a monkey puzzle

Discussion in 'Araucariaceae' started by Larry Johnston, Jun 7, 2021.

  1. Larry Johnston

    Larry Johnston New Member

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    I have a female monkey puzzle that has been producing cones for about five years. The nearest male that I am aware of is about 4 kms away. Four years ago I got some cones from it and hung them in my cedar hedge hoping they would be pollinated, but no luck.

    Last fall and this spring I found 3 seeds on the ground so I thought I would try again. I have several male cones. The lowest female cone is about twenty feet high. I have tried to get the male cones up to them but haven't found an efficient method of doing so. The most success I have had to date is using a long bamboo pole with a mesh bag attached. Also the pollen falls out of the male cones so quickly that most of it is gone before I can get them in the vacinity of the female cones. Does anyone have suggestions. I now have a considerable amount of loose pollen as well as 4 male cones.
     
  2. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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  3. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Collect some pollen cones when they are just starting to shed their first pollen. Dry them out in a warm room for a day or two, and tap the pollen out on to a sheet of paper - you'll get a surprising amount from each pollen cone. Tip the pollen into a syringe or pea-shooter or similar, and use that to puff the pollen up around the new seed cones (best done on a reasonably calm day). Note that the seed cones take about 16 months from pollination time to seed maturity.
     
  4. Larry Johnston

    Larry Johnston New Member

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    The lowest female cone is 20 feet up. I don't think I can blow it that far.

    I am interested eating them, not growing them.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 7, 2021
  5. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Sounds like you might need to get inventive with making modifications on a telescoping pole pruner. Or, depending on the amount of pollen you have, something that blows the pollen upward on the calmest of days.
     

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