Re: Re: HYB-how do we apply pollen? Laetitia

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Hi all,

As I mentioned earlier, I just rub the anther on the style and call it good (I pull the whole stamen off, and hold one end between my fingers.

 

However, I've pollinated quite likely millions of flowers of cacti and other succulents.  For those there are many methods, but for the average flower a tiny paint brush works best.  One that is natural fibers holds the pollen better than smooth nylon, but you have to experiment to find the best ones.  You can often buy a dozen for a dollar, usually more, but never expensive.  I would think these would work perfectly well for Iris too, since there is no significant difference in the process, only that the styles are shaped differently.

 

For Cactus and Iris both, I've also just rubbed the pollen onto the end of my finger and then rubbed my finger on the styles.  This is a bit tricky on an Iris though, the style is hard to get at with a big fat finger.  It's a bit tricky for a long-spined cactus too - for other reasons.

 

 

Dave