Pollination in aroids. Both natural and by the hand of any grower.

In several recent threads questions have been posed about how an aroid is pollinated. Noted aroid author and expert Julius Boos has written a simple yet easily understood article on the process. If you follow the methods described you can collect pollen, store it in a freezer until you have another plant to pollinate, or simply transfer it to another plant ready to be pollinated. You can read Julius' article here:

http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Natural and artificial pollination in aroids.html

 

thanks, steve!

 

I hope you find it useful!

 

yes it is!

one question, though. if you only have one specimen of, say, chinese evergreen, can you use the pollen from it on the famale blooms? or would you need to plants - either the same variety or two different varieties?

does storage need to be in glass or would plastic do? i'm thinking the pill bottles from the pharmacy and something (like a piece of plastic wrap) to cover/seal the top and then put the lid on and put in the freezer. and are the little packets of dessicant that come in pill bottles and shoes okay to put in the storage container? they won't do anything to damage the viability of the pollen, would they?

 

You can collect the pollen and freeze it in a sealed test tube for up to one year. When the plant enters female anthesis again you will have a relatively short period of time to un-thaw it and apply it with a brush and only sterile water. The key is to watch the spadix closely for the signs of anthesis. You should begin to notice a pheromone but not all aroids produce them. I've never watched one of the plants you are talking about doing but I did have one go through anthesis just a few weeks ago. I just had no interest in trying to propagate it.

You can also examine the spadix with a light touch and see if you notice any temperature increase. It can be felt! Once you know female anthesis has begun then brush the thawed pollen up and down the spadix. With any luck the pollen will take. You will know a few weeks later because the inflorescence will not fall off the plant if it is pollened. It will go through the complete cycle including berries and seeds.