Well done, Steve! Gorgeous cycad.

Sounds like a drop of liquid is the clue to readiness:
second paragraph here:
http://books.google.ca/books?id=Cqor3asUIlcC&pg=PA37&lpg=PA37&dq=cycad+female+cones+receptive&source=bl&ots=8NqOlCMpoT&sig=mqr5Vni-Dz6OdN2RvtTm_DvDCMQ&hl=en&ei=RV4_Te_0Ho7ksQPVlOGRBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=cycad%20female%20cones%20receptive&f=false

By the way, can pollen survive sub-freezing shipping temperatures?
Barb

Barb,
Thanks for the link! I have about 20 packages of Zamia vazquezii pollen in my deep freeze.
Here's the article that explains the procedure http://www.plantapalm.com/vce/horticulture/pollen.htm

Not sure if I can cross them, but good practice if nothing else 8)

Steve

Hi Steve,

You might want to try posting this one on PalmTalk, I believe there is a small group of people on there who have/exchange cycad pollen!

Cameron.

Also, recall reading on RPS that they buy pollen... 😀

Cameron, Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check it out.

Barb, These are common, probably not much of a market.
One of my goals has been to get a couple of small breeding colonies going. A couple more new plants this season and I should be just about there 8)

Steve

In order to keep cross-pollination and hybridization occurring, do you have to isolate cycad species in separate areas?

Have a Zamia floridana (wide leaf, "Palatka Giant") coning, does anyone know how to tell when the cone will be receptive to pollen?
(and does anyone have any pollen? 😀

Steve

Steve, my Palatka Giants are coning now as well. One of my males has two elongating cones that should be dropping pollen in the next day or two.

I would be happy to collect some pollen, dry it, and send it to you. Sending fresh pollen to a cold climate this time of year would not be good, but if it is dried the cold will not affect it.

As for determining when the cone is receptive, the macrosporophylls (cone scales) will crack open revealing spaces betwteen them -- like in the photo below.

I apologize for the poor quality of the photos. I took them with my iPhone in the dark just now. If you want better photos of a receptive cone I'll try to get a better one tomorrow.

Jody

Cameron, Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check it out.

Barb, These are common, probably not much of a market.
One of my goals has been to get a couple of small breeding colonies going. A couple more new plants this season and I should be just about there 8)

Steve

Actually, the true Palatka Giant coonties are not that common. I am happy to hear that you are building some breeding colonies.

Jody

In order to keep cross-pollination and hybridization occurring, do you have to isolate cycad species in separate areas?

You would only need to isolate plants in areas that have natural pollinators, and even then you would have to go to pretty extreme lengths to prevent the natural pollinators from getting to the female cones. Here in south Florida we have the natural pollinator of the coontie that is native to here as well as the pollinator of Zamia furfuraceafrom Mexico that came in on wild-collected plants many years ago. Thus, it would not be a good idea to try to build breeding colonies of Caribbean or Mexican zamias in this area. People in South Africa have similar problems with cross-pollination in various Enephalartosspecies.

As a side note, the Zamia pollinator from Mexico also pollinates cones of Dioon spinulosumon occasion here in south Florida.

Jody

So the pollinator would likely create a hybrid between Dioons and Zamia? or not between species.

I can imagine a whole bunch of eye-popping hybrids...tall Z. spinulosum ? 😉

Barb

So the pollinator would likely create a hybrid between Dioons and Zamia? or not between species.

I can imagine a whole bunch of eye-popping hybrids...tall Z. spinulosum ? 😉

Barb

Hybrids between species, yes, but not between genera... sorry!

Jody

Well, I tried 😆
Thanks Jody.

Jody, Great info and photos, now I know what to look for!
Thanks too for the pollen offer, sent you a PM.

Steve

Steve
Keep the camera nearby for the process please.
Barb