Storing Orchid Seeds

[kitkat24687]

Hi, I bought purple fringed orchid seeds, hellebrine orchid seeds, and phalaeonopsis orchid seeds. I was wondering if there was a way to safely store them. I'm hoping to move soon and am worried about how my seeds will fare. I don't want to start the sowing process until I'm settled in.

[Bulbopedilum]

Hmm, where did you get your seed?
Lots of times, people sell random baby's breath or dragonfruit seeds and advertise them as orchid seeds.
What do they look like?

[camille1585]

Welcome to Orchidboard!

If you bought these seeds online from a source such as e-bay, there is a good chance that what they sent you is not orchid seed. Fraud is pretty common unfortunately. The seeds should look like a very fine dust.

But if you did get real seed, people often fold dry seed or seed pods in paper or a coffee filter because it allows the seed to breath (not mold). Don't keep them in a plastic bag. Keep them some place cool and dry. They can be kept in the fridge, but there can be issues with mold unless the seeds are properly dried.

Also, are you aware of the huge amount of work involved in sowing orchid seed, that they must be sown in-vitro in special media in sterile conditions? you can't sow them in soil and expect them to grow, in the wild they depend on a symbiosis with fungi in order to get the nutrients necessary for germination (unlike normal seed, orchid seed has no reserves to start growing from) And if you are aware of that, be aware that terrestrials often need different flasking protocols and conditions than seed from epiphytic orchids. Germinating seed of terrestrials can also be pretty tricky from what I read.

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by camille1585

Welcome to Orchidboard!

If you bought these seeds online from a source such as e-bay, there is a good chance that what they sent you is not orchid seed. Fraud is pretty common unfortunately. The seeds should look like a very fine dust.

But if you did get real seed, people often fold dry seed or seed pods in paper or a coffee filter because it allows the seed to breath (not mold). Don't keep them in a plastic bag. Keep them some place cool and dry. They can be kept in the fridge, but there can be issues with mold unless the seeds are properly dried.

Also, are you aware of the huge amount of work involved in sowing orchid seed, that they must be sown in-vitro in special media in sterile conditions? you can't sow them in soil and expect them to grow, in the wild they depend on a symbiosis with fungi in order to get the nutrients necessary for germination (unlike normal seed, orchid seed has no reserves to start growing from) And if you are aware of that, be aware that terrestrials often need different flasking protocols and conditions than seed from epiphytic orchids. Germinating seed of terrestrials can also be pretty tricky from what I read.

Actually some terrestrials are stupid easy to grow from seed, and readily self seed. Giant Helleborine is one such plant and can even be invasive in the wild. Platanthera on the other hand do have a reputation as difficult to germinate. Assuming you actually got orchid seeds in the first place, which the odds are against.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Subrosa

Actually some terrestrials are stupid easy to grow from seed, and readily self seed. Giant Helleborine is one such plant and can even be invasive in the wild. Platanthera on the other hand do have a reputation as difficult to germinate. Assuming you actually got orchid seeds in the first place, which the odds are against.

Thanks for the info, I didn't know that giant helleborine can be invasive, our related species here don't seem to be. But can you compare ease of germination in the wild with germination in vitro? It can be difficult to get the procotol just right. Or is the Helleborine one of those exceptions that you could successfully sow in soil?

[kitkat24687]

Yes I am aware of the difficult process. I have done extensive research and decided to see what happens. I bought the seeds from Etsy, and expected them today but they haven't arrived quite yet. If it's a bust I'll be sure to say so.
I'm worried about the seeds becoming unsterile while I move. Any information I can get in regaurds to storage (possibly for at least a month) would be greatly appreciated.
I've been told to freeze them before, but I don't like that sound of that at all.

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by kitkat24687

Yes I am aware of the difficult process. I have done extensive research and decided to see what happens. I bought the seeds from Etsy, and expected them today but they haven't arrived quite yet. If it's a bust I'll be sure to say so.
I'm worried about the seeds becoming unsterile while I move. Any information I can get in regaurds to storage (possibly for at least a month) would be greatly appreciated.
I've been told to freeze them before, but I don't like that sound of that at all.

Look to the specific plant's life cycle and environment. I recently read a paper which showed a dramatic increase in germination and seed life in summer dormant Australian terrestrials caused by exposing the seeds to a dessicant. Considering these flower in the spring, set seed and then experience a hot, practically rainless summer before germinating in the fall, my initial thought upon reading this was "Duh!".

[Orchid Whisperer]

A paper which discusses orchid seed storage for seed banking is found here: Orchid Conservation through Seed Banking: Ins and Outs (PDF Download Available)

I recommend reading the article, but the gist is that seed can Best be kept dry and refrigerated (read the article for specific details). Cryogenic freezing (very controlled conditions) may also be ok.

[kitkat24687]

Thank you for the information everyone! The seeds were delivered and they are in fact orchid seeds.

[dansyr]

Please keep us updated once you start flasking! Would love to watch the journey unfold. Sounds like you managed to find some interesting taxa, good job.