Pollination of Arisaema

[Ake Nordstrom]

I have several Arisaema flovering while the snow is still deep outside. No pollinating insects anywhere. I trapped some flies and tossed them into the flowers and covered the entrance so they couldn't escape. My question is: are the Arisaemas self fertile or do I have to move the damned fly to the next flower? Or do anyone have a better idea about the pollination? It's actually not a big problem, they produce a lot of offsets, but it would be nice with some seeds. / Åke

[Uli]

Hello Åke,

You made me smile when you mention the "damned fly"......
As I had no solution to your question I looked it up in my Arisaema book and came across this interesting section: they state that most species are self sterile and even different clones do not always set seed due to the lack of suitable pollinators, the method in the attachment is working well. They write about Arisaema in the open garden, but I think you grow your flowering plants under glass, do you? I hope that the authors of the book do not mind me posting this and I hope it is readable.

All the best 

Uli 

[Ake Nordstrom]

Thank you Uli!

Yes, they are kept indoors right now, but sometimes, when we have an early spring some of them are kept ouside for most of the growing season, but there seem to be low interest for them from the pollinators. This year we have a very late spring, we received 10 cm of extra snow the last days so i guess I will miss the time frame with flowering and suitable outdoor conditions. Otherwise my next plan was to attract insects by adding some honey into the inflorescence.
 

[CG100]

If you have just single flowers of any single species that is self-sterile, that can't be over-come. Some aroids also have different times for pollen production and receptivity of the stigmas.

The only observation that I can offer is that at least some Zantedeschia are easily fertilised by tapping the flower gently once a day for as long as the flower remains fresh.
I can get close to 100% seed-set this way.

[David Pilling]

single flowers of any single species that is self-sterile, that can't be over-come

Well it depends on the mechanism.

I (have to) hand pollinate Zantedeschia:

https://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Zantedeschia

probly just got the wrong type of bee or beetle around here.

Gardener with a paintbrush can get around physical mechanisms to prevent self pollination. At the other end of the scale I could swear that I read the legendary lily breeder (Stargazer) Leslie Woodriff used cement.

There's a current PBS grant for research into microwaving pollen - another trick.

[CG100]

In Zantedeschia (all aroids), the pollen is produced above the stigmas - at the right moment, in the plants here, a gentle tap of the flower or stem produces a dense blizzard of pollen which must fall on any receptive stigma.

[kisaac]

Have you seen this video / article by @Tony Avent  (a forum member) of Plant Delights on arisaema hybridization?  While maybe not EXACTLY your answer, it may prove helpful.

https://www.plantdelights.com/blogs/videos/arisaema-hybridization

Arisaema Hybridization: How to Cross Pollinate Arisaema - Jack-in-the-pulpit

EDIT: I have no experience with Arisaema to share...

[Diane Whitehead]

Uli, which arisaema book do you have?

Mine is The Genus Arisaema by Guy and Liliane Gusman, who live in Belgium.

[Uli]

Hello Diane,

Yes, that is my book, too.

Uli 

[MarkMazer]

Arisaema reference books...  Himalayan Cobra-Lilies (Arisaema) Their Botany And Culture by Udai C. Pradhan 

[Ake Nordstrom]

Thank you all!

So, now i have some methods to work with. I liked the tips from Tony Avent, even if it feels a bit unpleasent to tear the flowers apart. I also realize that I have mostly male flowers, I guess that some switch over to female till next year if they are well fed?

The snow is disappearing fast, I can see about 10% of bare ground outside now.

/Åke

[Robert_Parks]

Thank you all!

So, now i have some methods to work with. I liked the tips from Tony Avent, even if it feels a bit unpleasent to tear the flowers apart. I also realize that I have mostly male flowers, I guess that some switch over to female till next year if they are well fed?

The snow is disappearing fast, I can see about 10% of bare ground outside now.

/Åke

Most of the aroids require desecrating the flowers to hand pollinate. Amorphophallus mostly has timed receptivity, so you have to have successive flowers or store pollen.