I was watering the phals at work today and noticed this. In the year or more of working in the GC I have never seen anything like this on the orchids. What is this? I hope it is still there next week so I can look at it closer when there are no customers around.
Looks like a seed pod. I've never seen that on a Phal before.
Yes! Hurray! It is a seedpod!
Orchid seedpods generally take many months to mature and you essentially need a sterile lab-type setting to geminate them in a flask. It is possible to do it at home but you need a pressure cooker to sterilize your equipment and a "glove-box" to sow the seeds in the agar medium, in a glass flask. Or you can send them to a lab who will process them for you. Just google "orchid flasking service".
Google seed pod on orchid and yep that's what it is. Interesting, thanks!
I have never seen an orchid seed pod. Good eyes!
Corsetiere, wow that sounds so complicated but cool! It is on the discount cart and I hope whoever buys it knows what it is. In the mean time I will keep staring at it. I wonder how much it costs to send out and how long it takes. I must Google further! Lol
You should buy it and send out the seeds for flasking. I think the cost is fairly reasonable. :)
Once you receive the flask, you just need to make sure you have the trays and grow space set up to take the seedlings. Grow lights and large tray filled with new zealand sphagnum moss is recommended for most genera of orchid seedlings.
I have been gathering the tools to start propagating my own crosses of my orchids. You can literally pollinate them yourself by hand. The only downside is that orchids grow so slow that it takes years before the seedlings are ready to bloom. lol!
Let us know if you try it!
I go to that location tomorrow, so if it is still there I am going to consider buying it!
:D Keep us posted!
I realize that this has been solved. But I'm just now seeing it and thought it was looking like a vanilla bean, which I do think come from orchids, don't they?
Yes. Vanilla bean is the seed pod of one of the vanilla orchids. I saw several at a show today, however....the plant needs ideal conditions to form seeds. The plants can get very tall, so while they can be grown in a greenhouse, they would pretty much take over and it would have to be hand pollinated, probably. As a hobbyist, I have a few types of orchids that do get pollinated, and set seed, but most are specialized when it comes to pollinators.
that phal doesnt look to healthy, looks like the moss has rotted its roots, the moss is definatly covering the plant to much.
This place does flasking for free, but you need to know the parents, I think (their way of encouraging responsible breeding) https://lab.troymeyers.com/flasking/home.php
I have a vanilla orchid; it doesn't look like that, though....
Don't bother flasking orchids without a pedigree or to be sustaining vulnerable species. It takes an experienced grower, a carefully controlled greenhouse environment, or other space, and special seedling mediums to move flasked orchid seedlings up and out. It then takes, on average, five years to produce a bloom-sized orchid. I used to have a dedicated space, and spent six years doing this, so I have some experience. I am currently growing out the last of my seedlings. I have known Troy for years and own a number of his orchids. He flasks endangered or rare species orchids not what is mentioned here. He lists seedling flasks that can be purchased reasonably and I have participated in group shares. His interest, and mine, is the continuance of species and not hybrid, decorative orchids.
I agree 100% MaypopLaurel. Continuance of rare/endangered species is paramount, since it's usually our (mankind's) fault they are rare or endangered in the first place. Humans tend to do that, don't they.....if we find something we can breed, we do it to ridiculous proportions....reminds me of "labradoodles" or "cockapoos" or any designer dog....like there aren't thousands rotting in cages at the pounds needing adoption.
Sort of like the "paradise" vacation/living areas of the world. Once they are "discovered" they are inundated with hoards of people, ruining the very reason they were considered as exceptional in the first place.
Ken
Sounds like my hometown island from November through July :(
Probably the vast majority of the beach resort areas would be like Bradenton Beach, perhaps with the exception of the Panhandle, which is inundated from spring till fall. The "Snow-birds" prefer warmer winter weather....LOL
Ken
