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Cacti & Succulents

Anybody have any tips on Hybridizing?

16 years ago

I'm trying to hybridize some of my succulents this summer. I have quite a few haworthias, crassulas, and aeoniums. I don't really know what I'm getting into, but if anyone has any pointers, tips, or literature that may help me out I'd really appreciate it!

My plan, as of now, is to put together any and all flowering plants, let nature take its course, and collect the seeds for next year. If anyone knows a better method I could really use some friendly advice!

Thanks you!

-Chris

Here is a link that might be useful: My succulent collection page

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Comments (4)

nigel_sa
16 years ago
Chris, A good (perhaps the best albeit primative) method of pollinating succulents is by using a pigeon feather... Gently tickle each open flower with the feather. For some reason, perhaps static, the feather collects pollen very well. Then tickle other open flowers that you wish to pollinate. A good succulent to start learning to hybridize would be any of the stapeliads, heurnea, orbea, piaranthus etc... They are very primative plants, and thus hybridize very easily. Thats about the best I can do, hope it helps...
sambal
16 years ago
Chris. Nigel had a great option, in fact I posted it to my clippings. I started to become interested in hybridzing by collecting seeds that had been pollinated by bees, etc. This season, I am going to try and hand pollinate, but with some plants (garden perennials), I find the flowers too small to work with, Heucheras, etc., and I am going to do the same thing you suggested, again. The hybridizing forum has some experienced hybridizers, as well as real novices, like myself. You might try posting your question there. I think you need to make your crosses between plants of the same species or at least the same family in order for the crosses to be viable. So, you might want to group your pots accordingly. Looking forward to hear what comes of your efforts. Sam By the way...great pictures, I envy your nice collection!
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bonsai_bliss
Original Author
16 years ago
Wow, thanks for the info!

I didn't even realize that there is a hybridizing forum. Gardenweb really is amazing. I've been reading some online literature that I've come across on google books which is really cool(fyi); it lists tons of archived books, each photocopied from cover to cover, available for anyone to read, at their own leisure. Right now I've started to read Fundamentals of Plant Breeding: written in 1914 by a man named John M. Coulter. Albeit a very scientific novel, it's just the kind of thing that tickles my intellectual fancy, and I look forward to finishing it. Thank you for the compliment on my collection, I do very much enjoy seeing it thrive (although right now it's on the rebound from some very serious pesticide issues). I hope that by the time spring rolls around they will all be healthy and ready to bloom so that I can cross them. I'm thinking that the feather method is probably a much more reliable way to get results that I'm hoping for, rather than just letting nature do all the work.

Thanks again for the input, I will have to check out the hybridization forum!

-Chris

p.s. If your trying to expand your succulent collection, I just recently stumbled onto a super cheap website that will even ship for free (on large orders) check it out!

Here is a link that might be useful: High Sierra Nursery
dufflebag2002
16 years ago
Label who tickled who, keep records. Norma

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