Orchid Flasks

[Cameron_z6a_N.S.]

I received a package of orchid flasks the other day. If you haven't heard of the Tissue Culture method of growing plants, you should really check it out!

Angraecum leonis (Comoros Island form):


More A. leonis. The medium in this flask was really shaken up, so these seedlings will be deflasked and potted up immediately:


Catasetum pileatum var. imperialis:


Phalaenopsis sp. "Huge White":


I'll update the pictures as everything progresses!

[canadianplant]

Cameron I didnt know you were into orchids, let alone buying some flasks! Where did you order them from? Let me know if you have any extras to trade, Ive just recently been bitten by the orchid bug, and the only things I can find are Phals, and cybidium.

[Cameron_z6a_N.S.]

Canadianplant, it's great that you're into orchids too I got these flasks from the US, and might have some available in the spring to trade.

Broken Angraecum flask:


Seedlings:




Pots:


After 2 hours and a cut finger, here's what I ended up with:


And here they are today:

[Cameron_z6a_N.S.]

Now I'm airing out the other flasks for a few days before unflasking.

Phalaenopsis:


Other Angraecum flask:


Catasetum:

[canadianplant]

You can thank my buddy for getting me into orchids. He has over 50 of them, phals, bulbos, catalaya etc... I only have 3 phals and 2 cymbidium, one is not looking too good. lol

Make sure you order proper orchid pots for them. Im pretty sure ebay has a good selection. I cant wait to see how they look in a few months.

[Cameron_z6a_N.S.]

Another genus that I have always liked is Dendrobium. I'm not going to be ordering the clear orchid pots simply because they cost something like 10x more than the black pots from other suppliers! When you're dealing with hundreds of seedlings, it adds up!

[canadianplant]

Just make sure you cut some slots in the pots. Those roots need to breathe!

[Cameron_z6a_N.S.]

I deflasked the Phalaenopsis sp. "Big White" last week.


Phals:


LECA bottom:


After washing and sorting:




In community pots:


Soon I'll deflask the rest!

[TimMAz6]

interesting.......were these propagated by tissue culture? If so can I do Yuccas this way? Some Yuccas (like elata and hybrids with elata) are difficult to propagate and TC would be a cool way to get more plants.

[canadianplant]

I think it could be either or. Most orchid flasks are seed grown, just that orchid seeds are probably some of the hardest to germinate, as high sterility is needed. I think you germinate them in agar, and the flask/jar is to keep humidity in, and any fungi and what not out.

[Cameron_z6a_N.S.]

Tim, these were propagated by TC. There are some excellent videos on YouTube, you could spend days researching the TC subject! You can definitely propagate Yuccas this way. Like Canadianplant said, it has to be done in a sterile environment.

TC is something that I'd like to get into, but if I did, I'd probably want to spend $10k on equipment and devote an entire room to it (to have the amount of plants that I'd want ). You can practice TC at home as well, and again, there's lots of info about home TC on the internet.

Jesse, these orchids were grown from tiny plantlets (cuttings). I can tell after seeing obvious divisions, where lots of new stems were prompted to grow. Orchid seeds need a specific set of nutrients and sterile conditions to germinate, and an agar TC solution is the way to go.

[canadianplant]

Yeah, a 10 grand set up, but almost perpetual supplies of plants to sell/pant....

Ive thought about it, because its the best way to get var of Canna without disease, and you can get an army of bamboo from a small chunk of rhizome. The start up cost is a bit much. Maybe Ill wait till i go back to school and use the equipment there