Seed saving question?

Hi all,

This is probably a basic question but I was wondering about when a plant seeds can they drop viable seeds if they self pollinate or do they need a partner for the seed to be any good?

I guess it could depend on the plant itself, in this case it would be a lone Grevillea which while it is a hermaphrodite the stigma is not usually ready for pollen which reduces the risk. I would find it unlikely that there are many Grevillea in the area but you never know.
That got me thinking then if I had two Grevillea then wouldn't they be flowering at the same time which would still make the chances of pollination slim and would the two plants have to be taken from two individual plants and not cuttings from the same bush?


Maybe I am over thinking it or missing something, any clarification would be greatly appreciated.

 

Presuming the plant is outside, bees and other insects would have done the pollinating while it was in flower, so any seeds should be viable. The link below may be of some help.

http://www.hardy-plant.org.uk/plantmonth/2014/may.php

 

I would agree with that but surely it would need another plant of the same species somewhere around for that to work.
And whilst I know that G.Robusta is widely available here and maybe one or two others if there isn't one of the exact species around wouldn't it then be cross pollinated and create a hybrid seed?

In itself it's not a huge issue but if I was to pass on some seeds they would be a relatively unknown quantity and instead of a small manageable shrub that was expected you may end up with a 5 meter tree.

 

Other plants produce viable seed without another one nearby HaSolar.

There is a possibility it could produce hybrid seed but it's unlikely as it's not a common plant to have in the garden. If the plant you have is a hybrid then seed that it produces could revert to the parent plant/s.

Which is why it's best to try the seed first yourself or let the person they are going too know they could be hybrids.

I grow plants from collected seed in my garden and wouldn't pass them on unless I've seen them in flower or know they will grow true to the parent plant. I'm about to try this with some Iris seeds that are known to produce hybrids, it'll be interesting to see what they produce.