Narcissus February 2015

[YT]

Tatsuo, you must show us when all the buds are open.

Yes, of course, Anne. But my camera has suddenly broken a couple of hours ago The lens tube has stuck and an error message appeared on display...
And I took the petunioides pot by my smartphone camera.

[annew]

 

[YT]

Some good news. It will take a few more days to full blooming and a spare camera will be delivered tomorrow

[Maggi Young]

Quick question: has anyone had any success using 'Don Stead' as a pollen parent? With cantabricus / bulbocodium parentage is should be fertile. I don't appear to have seed set, but it might be because its not compatible with the seed parent.

You'd think it would work, wouldn't  you?  Ian hasn't had any success with it though and it has never set seed itself for us.

[Matt T]

Thanks Maggi. It might be a hybridisers dead end then, but when it is a nigh on perfect plant already it's probably best not to try 'gilding the lily'.

[Ian Y]

For comparison with Tatsuo's tiny gem here is one of our pots of Narcisus cantabricus petunioides, the flowers will be the same size but our stems are ten times longer, 

[Ian Y]

Thanks Maggi. It might be a hybridisers dead end then, but when it is a nigh on perfect plant already it's probably best not to try 'gilding the lily'.

Matt it is worth persevering for the short compact stems that Narcissus 'Don Stead' could pass on to a new generation.
The stems always stay relatively compact even in our light, goodness knows what they will do with you Tatsuo

[Matt T]

Matt it is worth persevering for the short compact stems that Narcissus 'Don Stead' could pass on to a new generation.
The stems always stay relatively compact even in our light, goodness knows what they will do with you Tatsuo

He remained nicely compact here too Ian, so those short scapes would be a great trait to pass on. The colour is rather nice too. Following the theme of this weeks Bulb Log, it's a plant you could easily pick out of an anonymous line up no trouble at all. I dabbed pollen on 3 occasions each a couple of days apart and in reasonable weather. I'll not give up! Will have to try again next year.

[annew]

I managed 2 crosses with him last year - one produced 1 seed and the other 2 seeds!

[Matt T]

Prolific, Anne! 

[annew]

And that's if it germinates!

[Ian Y]

Was Don Stead the pollen or the seed parent Anne?

[Matt T]

I read somewhere recently (brain will slowly recall the source at some point - might have been Jefferson-Brown?) that if you find a pollen parent isn't successful or has poor fertility you can try microwaving the pollen for a few seconds then mixing it with fresh pollen before applying it to the stigma. Sounds a bit 'Frankenstein', but there might be some science behind it that could make it work?

[annew]

Pollen parent, one onto another hoop, and one onto a triandrus (thinking - ooh, tiny x susannae...)

[annew]

I think I might lose it first - didn't get much pollen off to start with.