Hibiscus (Pollination)

Some Hibiscus plants can self pollinate, but most cannot. This verity requires cross pollination. I want to collect some seeds from this plant for future planting, so I am cross pollinating a few flowers. I will only pollinate a few flowers, because I do not want this plant to use a lot of energy producing seeds.

You can collect Pollen from the Anther using a Q-Tip, or if there are two flowers close enough, just rub the Stigma of one flower with the Anther of another flower.

Rub the Pollen collected from the Anther of one flower to the Stigma of another flower. Hibiscus flowers normally fall off in a day or two if not germinated, but if the flower was successfully germinated the flower will remain on the plant for about 10-days before it dries up and falls off. The Ovary at the base of the flower will stay connected to the plant for about 60 days. After it dries up, remove it and extract the seeds. 

Passion Fruit Pollination

My Passion Fruit vines are growing so well and flowering, but the fruit are not developing. It is cool in Okinawa and there are a few bees, but I suspect they are more attracted to the roses. The bees visiting my second floor balcony are doing a fine job, because I now have Bitter Melon (Goya) flowering and growing. Anyway, I decided to start pollinating them myself. 

Each flower has five Anther, three Stigma and an Ovary (fruit). To pollinate a Passion Fruit pull off an Anther and rub it on the bottom of each Stigma. You can see the pollen easily, so if it is not enough, just pull off another Anther to ensure all the Stigma are well pollinated. Passion Fruit flowers open for a day or two and you will be able to tell if the pollination process was successful in a few days. If the flower is still on the vines three or four days later, you were most likely successful; otherwise it will fall off when you touch it.