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Aug 11, 2016 4:11 AM CST
Name: LariAnn Garner
south Florida, USA
When in doubt, do the cross!
Pollen collector Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Aroids Seed Starter Foliage Fan
Region: Florida Tropicals Container Gardener
Having hybridized Alocasia plants for many years, I can offer some tips. A. odora blooms, like all Alocasias, are female-receptive first. By the time you see pollen, the female blooms are no longer receptive. That's why, unless I have several plants blooming on staggered cycles, I cannot do anything with the very first bloom except to collect pollen for future work. When the second bloom first opens, I start putting saved pollen on the female blooms. To access them, I (carefully) cut away some of the spathe surrounding the female blooms and then I dust them up with pollen. I've noticed that bees will come around and steal pollen from A. odora blooms - I've also noticed tiny ants running away with pollen from the Alocasia macrorrhizos types, particularly the "blackstem" mac.

Pollen can be saved for about a week in small glass vials with silica gel beads in them to keep the pollen dry = store them in the fridge, label and date them so you know when they "expire".

The blooming cycle starts with female receptivity, then a short time non-receptive, then pollen drops. How long each stage lasts depends on several factors, but the most important factor is ambient temperature. Cool days and nights can prolong the receptive period, while very warm days and nights can accelerate the move to non-receptivity.

Hope this helps!
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