Tim, that O. humifusa x phaeacantha hybrid looks awesome! Is it a little more moisture-tolerant than a regular O. phaeacantha?

Hi Cameron,

that hybrid cactus has been growing (from seed) since 2002 or 2003. No issues yet. It will have loads of seed.....I can send you some in September.

Hi Aaron,

if you collect the hybrid seed and grow it out you'll know if it's a 'real' hybrid in 3 to 4 years! LOL 😆

Cactus hybridizing is not a fast sport. 😉

Hi Aaron,

if you collect the hybrid seed and grow it out you'll know if it's a 'real' hybrid in 3 to 4 years! LOL 😆

Cactus hybridizing is not a fast sport. 😉

So true. 😆

Hey I'm having a hard time to get my yuccas pollenated, how far do push the toothpick in and how far do put the pollen in? 😕

PS thanks for all the pollen. 😀

hey guys- Just noticed a lot of moths on both of my blooming Yucca (recurvfolia x filata and filamentosa)... Must be the same moth species that pollinates the recurv and filamentosa!

Will try hybridizing this pm. Wish me luck!

Can you get a close-up photo of the moths Paul?
It'd be good to see.

Mine aren't anywhere near bloom yet.

Barb

Hi Aaron

Push the pollen into the opening as far as it will go without using too much force. Some species push in further than other species. It appears most east coast Yuccas won't form seed pods on the flowers which open first.......not sure why.

Hi Paul

Good luck hybridizing! Your results get better by killing more beetles! LOL. and pollenate before 7am or after 8 pm. PS, pollen was mailed out.....you should have real soon.

Tim- Excellent! I hope it arrives soon so I can use it this season. Crossed the recurv x filata with pallida (Frank ON pollen) and rostrata. I then crossed pallida on filamentosa and recurv x filata on filamentosa... The pollinated flowers really lend themselves to the surgical tape, you just push the pollen in then tape over the end! Hope some of them take. Do you ever take the petals off the flowers when pollinating? We do this when crossing Rhodies, so I did the same with Yucca.

Also pollinated macrorhiza with SW pollen slurry (all my gelatin capsules burst so the pollen all mixed together, pollen was from basilaris v. basilaris, chloroticta, and robusta) as well as C. whipplei x pollen slurry (it had bigelovii and echinocarpa pollen)... Not sure what to expect.

Hi Paul,

keep us updated on your Yucca hybrid attempts. You have some great crosses......hope they take. I never tried taking the petals off.....let me know how this technique works for you. My biggest problem is the beetles! I hope you have less beetles than me. I examine every flower I attempt to pollenate for 'holes' in the petals. If I see 'holes' I don't pollenate since the flower was impregnated with the beetle larvae.

Yucca moth from this morning:
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