You want to make your very own hybrid orchid
but wonder just how to go about it. The
first part of this series dealt primarily with flower structure,
pollen storage, and pollination techniques. In Part II, using
Paphiopedilum as an example, we consider hybridization objectives,
the choice of seed and pollen parents, speculative crosses, line
breeding, and novel breeding lines.
I remember once reading: 'You have to use
this clone: you get seeds with it!' With this quotation as a
starting point, we launch into the challenging world of hybridization.
How can we ever determine which is the best seed and pollen parent?
Can we predict the future? The fact of the matter is that we
must rely on the successes and failures of others and on our
own experimentation. Plenty has been written on the subject which
we can find in books, popular articles and on the internet. There
is a good article by Nick Tannachi in the Winter 2005 Slipper
Orchid Alliance Newsletter.
HYBRIDIZATION OBJECTIVES: While our secret
desire may be to win an AQ, our objectives must be more practical.
No one really wants orchids that are slow growers or reluctant
bloomers. We want to have colorful, floriferous and vigorous
orchids and if they are winners, that is a bonus. What can we
realistically achieve?
CHOICE OF SEED AND POLLEN PARENTS: Having
healthy, vigorous, well established plants is as much a requirement
as is having parental compatibility. The seed parent must carry
a capsule to maturity so this plant must be particularly strong.
The seed parent often has the greatest influence on the progeny
in terms of plant vigor and flower color and quality. Even within
a species, certain individuals will be better seed or pollen
parents and some pairings will be particularly good. Whenever
possible, acquire proven seed parents to pursue your breeding
objectives.
SPECULATIVE CROSSES: Some orchids are notoriously
difficult to breed, especially when paired with a distant relative.
We see this in crosses between certain Parvisepalum and Brachypetalum
Paphiopedilums where flower quality or plant vigor suffers the
most in the few offspring surviving to blooming size. Try checking
what hybrids have already been made and with which species/hybrid
as the seed parent. We will deal with some of the consequences
in Part III of this series.
LINE BREEDING: We can attempt to improve upon
a species by sib crossing and backcrossing to enhance flower
size, color, shape, etc. Maintaining plant vigor is important,
as is adequacy as a seed or pollen parent. Greatest opportunities
lie with the Parvisepalum Paphiopedilums as these have only recently
been brought into cultivation. To be certain that you are starting
with two different plants as parents, look for subtle but reliable
clues such as markings on the staminode and within the pouch.
Remember that stoloniferous species like Paph. armeniacum were
initially marketed from wild collected plants which had been
divided into a number of single growths. Many of the same clone
may still be in cultivation.
Overview of some Parvisepalum Paphiopedilums
and their hybrids
Paph. armeniacum: In the 1980's, its bright yellow color fascinated
the orchid world. Many of the first awards were from small wild
collected plants. Later blooms from those same clones were often
much better. The yellow color is dominant in breeding but a rough
upper edge of petals is also sometimes seen which can be off
putting. Do not use parents which have this trait.
Here we see a group of single growth wild-collected
plants blooming for the first time in cultivation. While they
wowed the orchid world, they had not yet displayed their potential.
Plants were small and not yet fully established but note the
differences in pouch and flower shape. Paph. armeniacum 'Fiona'
HCC/AOS had a 9.3 cm wide flower.
Paph. armeniacum
 |
Paph.armeniacum 'Fiona' HCC/AOS
 |
Paph. Golddollar (primulinum x armeniacum)
shows how dominant is the yellow color of armeniacum. The sequentially
blooming primulinum trait is also seen in this grex.
Paph. Golddollar
Paph. Mary Ott 'Margie Ann' HCC/AOS (glaucophyllum
x armeniacum) is another combination of armeniacum with a sequential
bloomer. The colored staminode provides an interesting contrast.
Paph. Mary Ott 'Margie Ann' HCC/AOS
Paph. Wossner Kolarmi (kolopakingii x armeniacum).
In this specimen, we see some of what can go wrong with inter-sectional
breeding. Petals are folded/ridged and the staminode skewed.
The yellow color of armeniacum dominates.
Paph. Wossner Kolarmi
Any questions/comments about Paph. armeniacum?
Ken_in_Traverse_City_MI
In Paph. Golddollar it seems as if the only trait that passed
from armeniacum is the yellow color. Is that because primulinum's
dominant traits out weighed armeniacum's recessive traits?
MarilyninOttawa
We are seeing one of the first generation. Perhaps armeniacum
will have greater influence subsequently. Primulinum is usually
quite dominant.
Jade_in_GR
Do the offsprings of these crosses have the armeniacum's growth
patterns?
MarilyninOttawa
That is a good question Jade but I do not have a good answer.
From what I have seen, the stoloniferous habit is greatly reduced
but the foliage often resembles the parent. Leaf characteristics
can be quite variable.
Paph. delenatii. Until very recently, all plants and hybrids in cultivation
were derived from a couple of clones. The pink color was tantalizing
but too often difficult to capture in hybrids. This may soon
change as newly discovered clones and progeny enter the breeding
programs.
Paph. delenatii
Not all Paph. Delophyllum (delenatii x glaucophyllum)
are such a lovely pink. Some are mostly white.
Paph. Delophyllum
Any questions/comments on Paph. delenatii?
John_in_Arcadia_Ca
I have heard that delanatii reduces pink and green in its hybrids
MarilyninOttawa
It can John, and this was of concern with early attempts to breed
pink orchids. In Paph Magic Lantern there is no problem because
micranthum is pink but then the flowers are even darker than
micranthum. Go figure.
Paph. malipoense. Tall, stately, pale green with raspberry scent and
red blotch on staminode. For a green orchid, there is still a
surprising degree of variation in tessellation and within pouch
markings. The depth of green color will often vary with light
intensity. Fragrance is also a clonal trait. Paph. malipoense
often has some chocolate tessellation on the petals as we can
just see in the uppermost flower of this group.
Clone 1
 |
Clone 2
 |
Paph. malipoense
Paph. malipoense Closeup Clone 2. This flower
not have tessellation. Pouch interior markings can also be quite
different between clones.
Paph. Lynleigh Koopowitz (malipoense x delenatii)
is a lovely and quite consistent hybrid that usually carries
2 blooms per stem. The contrasting staminode is a stunner. Some
clones have greenish sepals.
Paph. Lynleigh Koopowitz
Paph. Mem. Larry Heuer (malipoense x emersonii)
is an intriguing cross. The malipoense influence is obvious in
the large greenish bloom and staminode color. That rosy flush
is delightful. I would like to see more of this cross.
Paph. Mem. Larry Heuer
Paph. Wossner Jade 'Ice Green' AM/AOS (niveum
x malipoense) is exquisite and shows attributes of both parents.
Paph. Wossner Jade 'Ice Green' AM/AOS
In Paph. Krull's Jade (malipoense x Wellesleyanum)
we see some of the best of both parents and the telltale malipoense
staminode.
Paph. Krull's Jade
Paph. Envy Green (malipoense x primulinum)
displays the green of malipoense, the sequential blooming of
a concolor primulinum but no telltale staminode color of malipoense.
You can see Ken, how strong is the primulinum influence in this
first generation.
Paph. Envy Green
Paph. Harold Koopowitz 'Penny' AM/AOS (malipoense
x rothschildianum). Even with rothschildianum, malipoense comes
through as seen in the jade green lip and staminode marking.
Paph. Harold Koopowitz 'Penny' AM/AOS
Are there any comments/questions on Paph.
malipoense?
Jade_in_GR
You mentioned that fragrance was a clonal factor in malipoense.
Is this often true in other orchids as well?
MarilyninOttawa
When I judged fragrance at a show, we had a chance to compare
many malipoense clones. The difference was marked. This is often
the case with other kinds of orchid. Fragrance may be greater/lesser
in terms of quantity and quality.
Jade_in_GR
So if you did a self cross with a species that had scent would
the offspring all likely be scented? And might there be some
offspring that were more fragrant than the parents?
MarilyninOttawa
I expect that progeny would be fragrant but cannot say if some
could be more or less so.
Paph. micranthum. Bubblegum pink with an incredible lip. What I admire
is the rich patterning on the petals which is seen in many of
the hybrids.
Paph. Magic Lantern (micranthum x delenatii)
is quite variable depending on the micranthum clone used. Magic
lantern Clone 1 is darker but has floppy petals. This could be
cultural. Paph. Magic Lantern Clone 2 is paler but has an odd
protrusion on the lower left of the pouch which may show again
in subsequent bloomings.
Clone 1
 |
Clone 2
 |
Paph. Magic Lantern
Paph. Charlie O'Neill (godefroyae x micranthum)
where the micranthum pink and the godefroyae tessellations form
a pleasing combination.
Paph. Charlie O'Neill
Paph. Kevin Porter (bellatulum x micranthum)
can be quite variable depending on the parents used. The bellatulum
parent will influence stem length as it does in many other hybrids.
Stems may be weak and unable to support a flower without staking.
Paph. Kevin Porter (bellatulum x micranthum). Kevin Porter is
said to have very few good clones. Some suggest that it represents
dead end breeding but we will have wait and see. Most of the
parvis have only been bred through 2 generations so far.
Clone 1
 |
Clone 2
 |
Paph. Kevin Porter
Paph. Tanja Pinkepank 'Judy's Gem' HCC/AOS
(micranthum x fairrieanum) is a graceful flower displaying some
of the best traits of the two parents.
Paph. Tanja Pinkepank 'Judy's Gem' HCC/AOS
Mauro_Brazil
Clearly micranthum dominates in these crossings
Jade_in_GR
Those genes for large pouches must have similar dominance to
the ones for large noses!
MarilyninOttawa
Jade, lip shape is a dominant character in many orchid genera.
Take for example, the Cattleya bicolor lip or that of Cattleya
aurantiaca and Brassavola nodosa.
Mauro, Yes it does. I regret that I do not
have a picture of Paph. Fanaticum (malipoense x micranthum) where
the micranthum puffy pink lip is prominent. The malipoense contributes
green to petals and sepals but micranthum is clearly dominant.
John_in_Arcadia_Ca
I just took a picture of a very nice Fanaticum but the lip was
not pink. The shape completely duplicated the Micranthum parent
though
Mauro_Brazil
I have a picture of it. I'm uploading and in a few minutes will
post it. Paph fanaticum picture http://static.flickr.com/18/88422567_d585d5a8ef_m.jpg
Steve_in_the_Adirondacks
Here's one: picture http://orchidweb.com/images/PFan16B.jpg
MarilyninOttawa
Steve, you can see the malipoense staminode pattern clearly.
Thanks.
MarilyninOttawa
So You Want to Try Your Hand at Hybridization? Follow these practical
guidelines. Read as much as you can beforehand. Set practical
hybridization objectives. Acquire proven parental stock. Maintain
a healthy vigorous collection. Keep records of success and failures.
Well, from my last summary remarks, you can
see that having the right parents can have quite an influence
on breeding outcomes. One additional comment is that if you wish
to achieve an objective, do it in a series of little steps rather
all at once. Too often, we see robust tetraploids bred with diploids
making sterile or mostly sterile triploids. Great plants they
may be but breeding ends with them. Try to stabilize desirable
traits before advancing beyond the diploid state.
Are there any questions or comments before
we return to the general chat?
Jade_in_GR
That is great advice and one I suspect those in a hurry to "make
a killing" often ignore. If one bred in the way you described
might the desired offspring have great vigor?
MarilyninOttawa
As far as I am concerned, plant vigor is a necessary trait. It
can be elusive however, so there must be continual selection
from blooming progeny in an attempt to maintain it. I try to
raise about 100 seedlings per cross but that isn't always possible.
Jade_in_GR
Marilyn, I totally agree with you. Wimpy growth habits just weakens
lines no matter how stunning the flower. Where does one keep
all those seedlings as they develop?
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